


Defenseless

by angelslaugh



Series: The Conduit Chronicles [1]
Category: Fairy Tail
Genre: F/M, Male-Female Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-12
Updated: 2015-03-10
Packaged: 2018-03-12 02:39:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 21
Words: 63,340
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3340535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelslaugh/pseuds/angelslaugh
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>de·fense·less</p><p>dəˈfensləs</p><p>adjective</p><p>without defense or protection; totally vulnerable.</p><p>"attacks on defenseless civilians"</p><p>synonyms:	vulnerable, helpless, powerless, impotent, weak, susceptible</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Fairy Tail

“Ugh. Icky,” a young green-and-blue haired girl muttered, scrubbing mud out of her boots. Two dressed cat creatures stood next to her, watching her impatiently. She had pretty, youthful features, but some scars were evident on her. A tattoo just barely peeked out from under her tank top, and though the tattoo seemed like a simple one, it was actually a magical brand. “Remind me why we’re actually searching for Lu-chan when we could just teleport to wherever she is? I mean, we may have been in captivity for three years, but it’s not technically too big of a deal, right? Especially since Dad and our uncles haven’t seen us in forever,” she said, sighing.

**_Akirakaza Soli. Human, mage, Conduit. Green and blue hair, green eyes. Earth dragon slayer, Celestial magic, and spirit magic._**

One of the two cats sighed. “Akira, you know why.” The cat speaking then shrugged. “Besides, Lu-chan doesn’t either, remember? And anyway, it should be easy to find her. We’re only a couple hours from her destination, so it’s best if we just stick together and not be stupid about it.”

Akira patted the cat that spoke.

“Soren, you know a lot more than I think I ever will.”

Soren grinned.

“Just the perks of being a cat.”

The second cat scoffed, before saying, “I can’t believe you are my sibling, Soren.”

Soren was the male cat-the second one’s name was Cas, and Cas was a female.

“Yeah, well, I’m not the one who’s dating Siren, am I?” Soren challenged. Cas went a little red.

“I’m not the one dating Extalia, am I?” Cas retorted.

Siren and Extalia were also talking cats. Akira groaned.

“Touché.”

“You two bicker as much as Siren and Syrian,” she sighed, making both cats glare at Akira. Syrian was Akira’s official talking cat’s name.

“Will you three shut up?” A voice hissed from one of the tents. A girl with green hair and identical features to Akira glared halfheartedly at the three.

“Good! You’re up! It’s yours, Soren’s, and Cas’s turns to watch!” Akira ignored her sister and cats’ whines of protests and headed into the tent.

~:~

The next morning dawned and Akira was travelling with four other humans and five talking cats.

“Mizu, the Fairy Tail guild probably won’t let us in, especially if they knew what we are. Let’s downplay our magic, okay? Akira’s the only one allowed to use her spirit, earth and celestial magics. You’ll be the fire dragon slayer-“

“I still don’t want to meet Natsu ever again,” Mizu muttered.

**_Mizuza Soli. Human, mage, Conduit. Has green hair, onyx eyes. Slightly scarred, has a tattoo similar to Akira’s on her upper back. Fire dragon magic, spirit force magic._ **

“I don’t care,” the first speaker said, her long, straight blue hair falling down her back.

_**Selinia Soli. Human, mage, Conduit. Has blue hair and gray eyes. Faintly scarred, has a tattoo similar to Akira’s and Mizu’s on her upper back. Wind dragon slayer, spirit force magic, light force magic.** _

“You want to see Wendy again, admit it, Selene,” teased Akira.

The fourth companion snorted.

“I so wish I had a little sibling like you three when I was taught by Aqua,” she said.

**_Lyra Fierce. Human, mage, Conduit. Has blue hair and one green eye, as one is obscured by an eyepatch. When unobscured, it is red. Not scarred, has a tattoo similar to Akira’s, Mizu’s, and Selene’s on her upper back. Seith magic (with several flying totem dolls), water dragon slayer magic. A tattoo on the underside of her wrist marks her as a Seith mage._ **

“Well, we can’t all have what we want, now can we, ladies?” Their last companion, a male, said, in a teasing voice.

**_Al Fierce. Human. Black hair, brown eyes. Skinny and tall. Lyra’s older sibling._ **

“Shut up, Al,” the four females said in chorus, Al holding up his hands in surrender.

~:~

The five cloaked companions looked at the centerpiece of Magnolia: the Fairy Tail guild.

“I hope she’s here, otherwise I’m going to say ‘Screw it’ and teleport us out of here,” Akira said, slightly angry.

They opened the doors…and promptly turned to stone when they saw what was happening.

A HUGE fight.

Then it stopped when Akira screamed Lucy’s name.

“LUCY! I’M GOING TO KILL YOU FOR LEAVING US IN TERRIBLE DANGER LIKE THAT!”

Everyone froze as Akira launched herself at Lucy…and hugged her.

“I missed you!” Akira sobbed, hugging Lucy’s legs.

The four females of the traveling group joined the sobbing girl hugging Lucy’s legs. As did the cats.

“Lucy!” (Selene)

“Lu-chan!” (Mizu)

“Celestial Freak!” (that was Lyra)

“Nice to meet you!” (the flying cats)

Lucy pinked at everyone staring at her.

“Uh, guys, you can get off now,” she said, laughing nervously.

All four immediately did so.

“Sorry, Lu-chan,” all four said. Lucy only grinned.

“It’s nice to see you all again!” she said, smiling at them.

Suddenly, a certain pink haired baka appeared.

“Lucy, who are-“

His words died as he saw Mizu.

“You,” he snapped suddenly.

Mizu smirked at him.

“Little brother,” she said coolly.

The guild was gob smacked when Mizu moved quickly…and delivered a fiery punch to Natsu’s face.

“THAT’S FOR BEING A JERK, YOU FLAME-BRAINED IDIOT!”

“SHUT UP, MIZU!”

“YOU, NATSU!”

“MAKE ME!”

“I WILL!” Mizu delivered another blow to Natsu’s head, but Selene intervened and yanked Mizu away and hit a pressure point on Mizu’s body. Mizu collapsed, and Selene also grabbed Natsu and did the same.

“Who are you?” Gray questioned, and Selene looked around, looking faintly surprised to hear no noise coming from anyone.

“Oh, we’re Lucy’s cousins. We’re all mages-except Al, here, but we were initially searching for Lucy after we left Enca after three years of captivity,” Selene explained, making everyone look faintly surprised at her openness. “Unfortunately, though, it took us longer than anticipated and accidentally disclosed information to one of our father’s…associates, and now, Lucy, your dad might know where you are now.”

Lucy paled a little.

“That’s bad…can we go someplace else to talk, or would you like to join Fairy Tail?” Lucy asked, tilting her head.

Akira grinned evilly.

“Please let us stay,” Akira pleaded, the evil grin morphing into an angelic one.

Mirajane Strauss suddenly appeared, with the master of Fairy Tail next to her. “I’m Mirajane Strauss, this is Master Makarov, master of Fairy Tail. What’s your magic, and where do you want your guild mark?”

Lyra strode forward.

“I’d actually like my guild mark on my eyepatch and my left shoulder in green, please,” she said, smiling. “And my magic is Seith magic.” At the surprised look on Mirajane’s face, she added hastily, “My eyepatch covers my Figure eye.”

Mira nodded. Then she turned to Selene after stamping the requested places.

“Wind dragon slayer magic.” Her voice was soft. “I’d like mine on my thigh. All of ours should be in green as well.” She moved her dress a couple inches higher than it normally was.

Mira nodded and stamped her thigh. “What about hers?” Mira indicated Mizu.

“Uh…she’s a fire dragon slayer, and her mark should be on her left shoulder.”

Mira nodded again and stamped the unconscious girl.

“And you?” Mira asked, looking at Akira.

“On my stomach,” she replied carelessly. “Celestial magic and earth dragon slayer.”

A couple gasps echoed around the guild at her words.

Mira stamped her. Mira then turned to Al. “Are you a mage?”

“No, ma’am, but do you know where I could find a bar job?” he asked, and Mira smiled.

“We are in need of another bartender,” she said kindly. “Where’d you like your mark?”

“Left shoulder, thank you,” he replied respectfully.

The cousins all sported green Fairy Tail marks. Grinning, all of them hi fived each other as Fairy Tail marks were also placed on the talking cats.

“So,” Lucy said, sitting down at a table, “how exactly have you five been?”

All five flinched a little. Lucy raised an eyebrow.

“That bad?”

Selene coughed politely. “Actually, being held in captivity, branded, tortured, and being made to do things your captors want you to do that physically and emotionally scar you is a little bit more than ‘that bad’,” she said. Lucy bit her lip.

“Well…I’m sorry.”

An awkward silence ensued.

“Have you seen Laxus Dreyar?” Lucy asked, casting a glance at the second floor.

Akira scoffed.

“Is he the blonde on the second floor that looks arrogant and full of himself?” Akira questioned.

Said male cracked an eye open and glared at Akira.

Akira glanced up and saw the look he bestowed upon her.

“Got a problem, Blondie?” she challenged, making the guild go a little silent.

Laxus scoffed, knowing she was talking to him.

“As if,” was his scoffing reply.

“Oh, so I’m only good enough to scoff at?” she growled, getting up and glaring at him.

He didn’t respond.

Akira smirked.

“Earth Dragon Roar!” she yelled, hitting the second floor-and Laxus-with deadly accuracy.

Selene slammed her drink down.

“AKIRAKAZA SOLI!” She shouted, only to be interrupted by Akira roaring at Laxus.

When the dust settled, they saw lightning appearing.

“Oh, shi-“

Akira never finished her statement, as Laxus’ lightning dragon roar hit her dead on.

The members of Fairy Tail had pretty much vacated the premises of the guild by the second time Akira had roared at Laxus.

The dust again vanished, Laxus having vanished after he’d roared at Akira.

Akira looked severely pissed off.

~:~

“So can we rest with you?” Akira eagerly asked.

Lucy sighed.

“As long as you are quiet sleepers.”

Akira smiled, a trifle sadly. “When we were in Enca, we pretty much had to learn to sleep silently.”

Selene nodded. “The only one who snores is Al.”

Al glared at Selene.

“Whatever,” Lucy said finally. “I don’t care.” She looked at Akira. “So what Celestial Keys do you have?”

Akira smirked. “Want to meet them? Oh, and technically they’re the Infernal Keys.”

“Sure,” Lucy responded.

Akira stopped and grabbed a random key.

“Open, gate of Hell! Azrael, Angel of Death! I summon thee!”

White sparkles appeared, a beautiful-looking woman with black angel wings appearing.

“Yes, my lady?” Azrael smiled at Akira.

“Azrael, meet my cousin Lucy Heartfilia,” Akira said, lowering her voice upon saying Lucy’s last name.  
  
“You…” Azrael stepped towards Lucy. “YOU ARE SO PRETTY!” Azrael’s eyes sparkled. Akira smiled.

“Azrael, after I finish collecting the Infernal Keys I will want to switch the contracts,” Akira said, looking serious. Azrael looked visibly disappointed.

“But…Akira…”

“To Lucy,” Akira said, and Azrael looked startled.

“You mean…she’s the Con-“

Akira looked alarmed as she covered Azrael’s mouth. Azrael looked startled until she caught everyone else’s pale faces. She paled herself.

“I’m sorry, Azrael, but Lucy doesn’t know.” Azrael looked terrified.

“I’m sorry, Master Ren, I-“

“I’m not Ren,” Akira said, gently. “I’m not that selfish class A jackalope,” she snapped, glaring at nothing in particular. “I’ll never be Ren, Azrael, but yeah. And Lucy doesn’t quite know…the real reason we’re here.”

Azrael looked visibly relieved. “Right, well I best be off. Abbadon will be waiting for me.” Azrael bowed and vanished.

Lucy crossed her arms under her breasts.

“You haven’t told me the real reason,” Lucy repeated.

“Lucy, we can’t talk about it here,” Selene said, and Lucy sighed.

“Fine. Let’s go in, and we’ll talk about it tomorrow,” she snapped. Akira wilted, and Lucy looked a little guilty. “Sorry.”

Akira smiled. “It’s okay-WHY IS NATSU HERE?!”

Natsu and Happy were doing push-ups and sit ups.

“WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN HERE?!” Lucy yelled. “GET OUT!”

“We’re a team, right?” Natsu asked. “Then let’s train together! We’re going big!” He held up a job description.

“AN S-CLASS MISSION?!” Lucy yelled. The ten companions just groaned and facepalmed. Al was a little confused, but he and the others thought to themselves, What a baka…

Then Lucy melted, seeing a gold Celestial key as part of the reward, along with an Infernal Platinum key and an Infernal Gold Key.

“I’m going,” Akira immediately said. Only she knew how Infernal Keys worked. They were known as the Lower Keys, the Infernal Gold Keys-Azrael being one of them-were the Higher Keys.The cousins agreed. Al just shrugged.

“I’m staying here. Mira said I could help with the bar tomorrow,” he stated, settling down on the couch.

Soren, Cas, and Siren settled next to Al, but Extalia and Syrian would always follow their best friends. Soren, Cas, and Siren were probably too exhausted to do ANYTHING.

Since Lucy was the only one needing to pack, Akira agreed to stay behind to teleport Lucy, Happy, and Natsu to the train.

They did so, heading to Hargeon Port via train.

~:~

“Master, one of the S-Class missions is missing!”

Al Fierce tensed as Makarov spat out some of his beer.

“WHAT?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case you are wondering, this is pretty much just Friendship. Book 2 will get heavy on the romance and more action between the characters. Please still read!


	2. Ur and Deliora

_angelslaugh here. So I decided to do something good! I’m going to save a certain someone who I believe was vital to Gray and Lyon: Ur. This story IS an EVENTUAL AU, but I’m adding some AU-ish properties. I’m doing this MY way. :) Oh, and this explains Poison and Azakarika’s (two new-ish characters) pasts. You’ll see what I mean!_

**_Previously on ‘Defenseless’… “I missed you!” “Lucy!” “Lu-chan!” “Celestial Freak!” “The only one who snores is Al.” “AN S-CLASS MISSION?!” What a baka… “Master, one of the S-Class missions are missing!”_ **

~:~

“Who took it?”

Laxus smirked. “A little blue cat took it.”

Mira slammed a hand on Laxus’ table.

“HAPPY? ARE THEY STUPID?” Bisca yelled in shock, everyone muttering how stupid Natsu was.

“Laxus, why didn’t you tell anyone?” Mira gave him a look she hadn’t given him since he was younger.

“I had no idea it was Happy,” Laxus admitted, shrugging. “He just came up here acting all sneaky and laughing a little.”

“He must have taken it for him and Lucy,” muttered another member of Fairy Tail.

“Not just for Lucy and him,” Al stated, making everyone look at him. “For Lyra, Extalia, Akira, Selene, Syrian, and Mizu.”

“And you didn’t try to stop them?” Makarov asked worriedly.

Al arched an eyebrow, completely unafraid of Makarov. “You try stopping those idiots and then we’ll talk,” Al said, shrugging. “Besides, I’ve never seen more capable people than my sister and the Soli triplets.”

“Then they’re the stupidest people, to even go on an S-Class mission,” Said Macao, only to face Al’s angry face as he punched Macao so hard he made a hole in the guild’s ceiling.

“I wouldn’t worry about them,” Al said tightly.

“Even so, they aren’t cleared for S-Class,” Makarov said. “Which mission was it, Mira?”

“The mission…to Galuna Island,” Mirajane said coldly. Makarov looked…scared and shocked. Al blinked.

“Okay,” he said finally, a bit weakly. He’d heard the rumors about Galuna Island. “Maybe this was more idiotic than usual-they know what will happen if the rumors are true. What was the reward?”

“A lot of Jewels, but also three Celestial keys-two of which were the Infernal Keys,” Mira answered tightly.

Makarov looked curiously at Al-he’d heard the scared tone for them in Al’s tone. He’d been so certain-but when Mira said Galuna Island, Al had paled so quickly Makarov would have bet that Al was dying had he not regained his color quickly. Al’s eyes flashed.

“I don’t care what all y’all say, I’m going to go get them,” he said, anger radiating off of him.

“Wait,” Gray said, “I’ll go get them.” Makarov nodded.

“Very well.” Al groaned and hit his head on the wall. Lyra…how stupid are you?

~:~

Lyra sneezed. For a little while, the whole group had sneezed several times. Now they were FINALLY in Hargeon, at the port.

~:~

An hour later, they hadn’t found ANYONE willing to take them to Galuna Island.

“I know it was a stupid idea, but I have to get those Infernal Keys,” Akira said, frowning distractedly.

“Why?” Lucy wondered.

“Well, since there are about twenty-six Gold Infernal Keys and twelve Platinum Infernal Keys-and let’s not even count the twenty-nine silver Infernal Keys and thirteen diamond Infernal Keys- I have to get Lucifer,” she explained distractedly. “I have seventeen silver Infernal Keys and all of the Diamond Infernal Keys, but I still need five Platinum and three Gold,” she finished. Lucy gulped. “Added to the Infernal Keys would be the God Keys, which are both Infernal and Celestial.”

“Will I have to carry all of them?”

“We can enter a joint contract, if you want,” Akira offered. “Or we can enter a one-time contract when I get Lucifer. It’s just…once you enter a contract with Lucifer, you’ll be able to learn from Draco the Dragon. Besides,” she added, “I hold all of my keys in this magically expanding pouch. I can grab a key-any key-that I want by thinking about it. Most of the time the silver keys are elsewhere…or they’re busy helping the Gold and Platinum Keys and don’t have any battle experience.” She shrugged. “The Platinum Keys are like your silver keys. If the need arises, I can use my Infernal Key Alaric. He’s…” Akira blushed a little “really handsome and suave.”

Lucy smiled. “Who’s Abaddon?” Akira groaned.

“Abaddon is Azrael’s brother,” Akira stated.

“Oh.” It was obvious Akira didn’t want to say anything more on that subject. “What about Lucifer? Who’s he?”

Akira smirked. “Lucifer is the ruler of the Infernal Keys.” At Lucy’s slightly confused look, Akira sighed. “The Infernal Keys are four classes: Small Class-the Silver Keys. Middle Class-the Diamond Keys. Lower Class-the Platinum Keys. Higher Class-the Gold Keys. Lucifer is known as the Ultimate Key, the Obsidian Gold Key.” She looked like she really wanted to find Lucifer. “But he’s technically still considered a Gold Key.”

“Yeah…I think I’ll go with the one-time contract with Lucifer, if that’s all right.” Lucy looked a bit queasy. “I’m still trying to find the rest of the Celestial Keys.” Akira shrugged.

“Eh. I’ve heard Lucifer is very…well…he has a lot of stamina, according to my other friend Calypso.”

Lucy went fire-engine red. “WHY WOULD YOU TELL ME THAT?!” “SO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU WILL GO THROUGH DURING THE ONE-TIME CONTRACT, YOU BAKA!” Selene sighed when she heard that. She was keeping a careful eye on Natsu and Mizu, so they wouldn’t fight.

“Sel-chan, why do you look so sad?” Syrian asked, looking at Selene cutely. Extalia, Syrian’s twin, also looked at Selene quizzically.

“I just miss this.” Selene smiled a bit. “Just hanging out with our cousins, carefree. Just like before X774 and before X781.” She sighed. “I feel so sad for Akira and Lyra, though.” They got the worst of everything…

“Don’t feel sorry for me,” Lyra said, walking next to Selene. “Akira got the worst of it. If Galuna Island is truly what the rumors say, I personally will stop Poison and Akira will stop Azakarika.” Azakarika and Poison referred to Akira’s and Lyra’s literal internal demons. Demons from the Book of Zeref-twin demons.

“I know,” Selene replied tightly. “I’m still worried about this mission in its entirety. Something isn’t right.” She gazed at the water.

~:~

Gray and Al both headed to Hargeon Port, Al’s face stormy-so stormy that Gray had actually stayed away from the older male as far as was possible in a cramped train compartment. Nothing had been spoken between the men, but both of them were willing to do whatever it took to bring the nine (six if you didn’t count Happy, Extalia, and Syrian) back to the Fairy Tail guild. They found the mages standing on the shore, next to a boatman with dark skin and dark features.

“Found you,” Gray said, making all of the mages flinch. Akira, Lyra, Selene, and Mizu paled when they all saw Al’s angry look.

“You four are coming with me,” he snapped, making them all flinch. Akira growled softly.

“Make us,” she said.

“Akirakaza Soli, you know what will happen if you step one foot on that island!” he exploded. “So do you, Lyra!”

“Al,” Selene said, “I already tried to talk them out of it. I swear you can hold me responsible if Poison or Azakarika comes out.” Al took a deep breath.

“Are you sure?” he asked gruffly. Selene nodded, smiling kindly at him.

“I promise,” she told him earnestly. He nodded.

“Be good, then,” he responded. Then Natsu knocked Gray out, Al whistling as he walked away.

~:~

Groaning, Mizu awoke being carried. The fire dragon slayer pinked when she realized she was being carried someone with a slight chill to his skin-Gray. She tumbled out of his arms when he tripped and she jumped up and helped the stumbling mage up. “Idiot,” she muttered, pinking a little more. She looked around and saw a silver-haired girl carrying Akira…her vision tunneled. “Poison,” she spat, lighting her fist on fire. Poison-Lyra’s inner demon-looked at Mizu.

“Chill, girl, she’s fine,” Poison snapped. Poison and Azakarika had an odd relationship for demons. Poison was known as the Demon of Hate, and Azakarika was known as the Demon of Lust. Hate and Lust. But ever since they’d been put in Lyra and Akira, they were…different.

“As long as you don’t use your hate against us,” Mizu replied, turning around. She looked at Gray, who was gathering his discarded shirt up. “Where are we? And where are our cats?”

“Galuna Island. We got knocked out by a wave, but you and Akira were already out by the time we reached shore.” Gray looked between Poison and Mizu. “Lucy, Selene, Natsu, and the cats are looking ahead.” She stifled a laugh at how awkward Gray felt.

“Gray, I want to say thanks,” Mizu said, a blush rising to her cheeks.

“No problem. Selene threatened me…and Erza’s probably going to kick our butts,” he meekly replied. Mizu shrugged.

“Eh. I’m not too worried.”

“You should be,” Gray replied.

Mizu gave him a sardonic look. “I’ve faced an angry-no, a pissed off Akira-and I can guarantee it that a pissed Akira is much more scarier than even Lyra’s…second personality could ever be.” Gray looked doubtful.

~:~

They made it to the center of the island, Mizu and Selene keeping a wary eye on Poison and Akira (as they couldn’t tell right then if Akira was Azakarika or not). The cats-excluding Happy-had decided to leave, sadly enough.

“Who goes there?” Gray and Natsu made up a lie about Fairy Tail’s communications being scrambled, and they were allowed into the village. Distrustful looks were given to Poison, who held Akira. Probably because Selene had placed magic-sealing manacles around both Poison’s and Akira’s (in case Akira turned out to be Azakarika, but Gray didn’t know that) wrists.

“Are they with you?” The leader of the village questioned Gray and Natsu after revealing their disfigured forms.

“Yeah,” Gray said, shrugging. “Poison is a bit too…volatile at the moment, and Akira’s…well…under a sleeping spell.” He really didn’t want to say that Akira had been forcibly put under after she started throwing up like this island made her sick. Poison seemed to distrust this island for some odd reason, too.

“Good, then. Make sure they don’t damage anything.”

Poison smirked. “As if I could.” Lyra’s alternate personality glared daggers at the village leader’s back when he turned away. “I’m heading out to see what I can find.”

Gray felt suspicious of her intentions. “Leave Akira here, Poison.” Selene’s voice was frosty. Poison cast a sly glance at Selene.

“You know Azakarika will appear as soon as she wakes, Selene. I’m not certain she’d want to be near males.”

“What, do you actually care for her?” Selene gave her an angered look. “You’re a liar, Poison, but I doubt you care for anyone.” Poison lifted an eyebrow.

“Who said I cared for her? I’m a demon, Selene. I-“

“A demon?” Gray growled, shifting into his Ice Make form.

Mizu appeared, shaking her arms frantically. “She’s not like the others, not like Lullaby!” Gray hesitated. Then Poison gave Akira a look that made him stop and stare. She was…sad?

“My name is Poison,” she said, looking directly at Gray, the sad look off of her face. “I was implanted inside of Lyra as a lacrima, and Lyra named me as a joke-I was her personal poison. They expected only my powers to be present, but Lyra was very…strong and unintentionally summoned me. Akira’s real name is Akirakaza, and my twin-another demon-was implanted in her, also as a lacrima. Her opposite personality is present, so everyone calls her Azakarika-or just Aza. She’s also my twin.” Poison gazed at Gray with impassivity. Lucy shifted, making everyone glance at her. She was looking…incredibly curious.

“So if you’re demons, do you simply change their features?” Lucy questioned. Natsu was snoring, Happy sleeping next to him, curled up.

“Nope,” Poison answered, stroking Akira’s hair, an oddly human gesture that seemed to relax the spelled Akira. “We shift into terrifying forms for mankind to gaze upon. So much so that every time we show ourselves in our normal form, people usually tried to kill us and hunt us. Now all we do is change our host’s-and, well, our-features.”

“Where did you come from?” Gray asked, his voice tight. Poison looked down, then looked up at Gray, her face hard.

“We are demons formerly of the Book of Zeref.” A silence blanketed everyone. “Yet, seeing as practically all of us were ripped out from the Book, I can’t exactly complain seeing as I’m no longer stuck simply in writing and spells.” Her voice was snarky and flippant. Gray didn’t completely relax his Ice Make stance.

“You said you were in a lacrima? How?” Lucy asked excitedly. Poison frowned.

“You shouldn’t be asking me questions so calmly! I’m a demon!” She glared at nothing in particular. Then sighed. “Fine. If you must know, the damned Book of Zeref was finally destroyed about twenty…maybe thirty years ago. When it was destroyed, we all reverted back to our first forms, but with a more…human-like consciousness, this time without summoning spells or incantations. For my twin and I, we were…well…animals. We were awaiting our master.” A tone of longing was in her voice. “Master Zeref was the only one able to destroy his Book.” She shrugged. “We all waited for maybe ten, twenty years, then an order came from one close to Master: Destroy. First Lullaby retained his flute form, then Deliora started attacking towns and villages.” Poison shrugged. “My twin and I, although aptly named the Demons of Hate and Lust (I was-am-the Demon of Hate, her the Demon of Lust), reverted to human-esque forms but weren’t for destroying stuff.” She shuddered a little and stared at a rigid Gray. “My sister and I traversed Earthland and tried to find Deliora so we could help her. We were caught in two lacrimae and were about to be destroyed, had it not been for the people at that…so-called guild. We were implanted in Lyra and Azakarika and we exist today, quite obviously.” Poison’s eyes flashed with anger. “And I still feel the pain of my brethren as they seek shelter against your onslaught against them.” Gray snorted. “I doubt that.” Poison’s eyes snapped to meet his. “You don’t have to trust me-kami, I’m not even asking you to! I’m simply telling you that Lullaby and Deliora-while the first to head out-were the least of your worries.” Her dark tone froze Gray even more. “In fact, Deliora is considered a simple speck compared to my power and even less than Lust’s power! He’s absolutely nothing to Master’s pet, and since Master has control over ALL of the Book of Zeref demons…” she trailed off and shuddered. “Even Lust is powerless against Master’s pet.”

“Who’s the Master’s pet?” Lucy gently asked. Terror-real and genuine terror-flashed through Hate’s (Poison’s) red eyes.

“The dragon king. Not the Apocalypse dragon, a different one,” she whispered, closing her eyes. She shook her head. “I may be high-and close to Master and Master’s pet-but…” she shook her head again. “I can’t say his name.” She shook violently. “But Master is Zeref.”

“That’s obvious,” Selene coolly stated. Gray had relaxed by now, his thoughts troubled. “You aren’t leaving, you will stay here. If you leave, I will kill you,” Selene snarled angrily, storming around to sit on her sleeping bag. Poison just looked at Selene’s stiff back, a look of sadness appearing on the demon’s face before she nodded, though Selene didn’t see it. Even Mizu avoided looking at Poison for some reason.

~:~

They were settled down, everyone but Poison and Gray asleep. “She’s nearly dead, you know.”

Gray’s head snapped up to look at Poison. “Who?”

“Both of them.” She looked at him calmly. “Deliora and your master.” She blinked. “Ur, I think it was?”

Gray’s fist tightened. “What of it?” He was afraid of the answer.   
“I want my friend Deliora to live, and you want your master back.” Her red eyes watched him carefully. “I’m willing to bring Ur back, but at a price.”

Her silky voice sounded reluctant.

“Impossible,” Gray said, dismissing the demon’s idea. He doubted even she could reverse the effects of Iced Shell.

“No.” Her voice was soft. “Not impossible.” Poison shifted a bit. “I cannot bring her back with all her memories intact, perhaps. Or any of her magic with her, true. She’d be a normal human. But her sacrifice won’t mean anything if you allow it to continue.”

Gray blinked at her, a bit confused. “What do you mean, ‘allow it to continue’? What’s continuing?” Poison furrowed her brow.

“How can you not know?” Her eyes then widened and she facepalmed. “Right. Only demons can hear each other. Kami, I’d forgotten-Lyra could always hear them, even if they were faint.” She must of noticed Gray’s look of impatience. “Right. Well…someone is attempting to melt the Iced Shell and is succeeding. If I do not get there soon, I will not be able to save Ur at all,” she warned. Gray hesitated. “Make your choice.” Poison’s voice was hard. “Unless you decide to allow my sister to die and your mentor, I’d need mine and my sister’s magic, and I can and will save them both.”

“Who is behind this?” Gray asked, his voice full of dread. Poison gave him a funny look.

“I thought you’d know. After all, he holds Ur’s...current status against you.” Gray was tempted to let her revive both Deliora and Ur, but that one thing stopped him.

“How did you know about that?” he demanded, rising to take his Ice Make stance. Poison facepalmed.

“You baka! If I’m the Demon of Hate, I can feel out the reason behind it, feel it and cause it!” Her voice was irritated, and Gray felt kind of stupid.

“Oh.” He walked over to her…and hesitated once more. “Will Selene really kill you?” Poison shrugged nonchalantly.

“She can’t kill me if this works.” Poison shook Akira, and red eyes revealed themselves. Gray almost backed out of it, but he said one last threat.

“If it doesn’t work, I will kill you,” he told her darkly. Poison smiled tiredly.

“If it doesn’t work, I’ll let you.” Her voice was weary.

~:~

Poison and Azakarika walked deeper into the forest, the adult and kind personality a direct opposite-as was expected-from Akira’s childish and stubborn nature. And a direct opposite from the power she held. Normally, when she was in her pure form, she’d act sultry. Zeref had liked her, probably because she was one of his oldest demons. Gray had promised to go to the temple later (and destroy some of the pillars so that she’d have sufficient time to basically resurrect Ur and Deliora) to confront his nemesis and old friend, Lyon.

“Sister,” Aza said, “should I use some of Akira’s reserves to teleport us there?” Poison hesitated, but then gave in.

“Very well, I’m tired of walking. Besides, we need to call upon Lullaby’s excess power to waken Ur.” Poison pouted a little.

Aza sighed. “We get to see Deliora again.” Her sentence had just flew out. “I can’t wait.”

Poison smiled as Aza grabbed her hand. “Nor can I, sister.” They teleported to Deliora’s cave.

~:~

Everyone stared at Gray like he was an alien. He had told them everything after he had woken them up, even his own past. Erza-having arrived earlier than she would’ve-only looked down, her brows drawn together.

“I’d trust them.” Lucy’s voice made them look at her, a little shocked. “But that is impossible,” Lyra the Lyre said (one of Lucy’s spirits), looking a bit shocked. Selene was pale, which lead Gray to suspect Poison and Aza had done something similar once.

“Look,” Gray snapped, his temper finally exploding, “I trust Poison.” For now. “She and Azakarika are depending on us. Azakarika and Poison-especially since they are demons-shouldn’t help us, I know. I hate Deliora, yes, but Poison was being sincere.” At their still disbelieving looks, he sighed. “Poison gave me permission to kill them so Selene doesn’t if they failed.”

“And since they won’t, they’re risking much more than calling the dragon of the Apocalypse,” Selene sighed. “But I have to trust them. Natsu, Mizu, please destroy one side of the pillars upon nightfall. Erza, Lucy, you guys occupy any enemy excluding Gray’s nemesis. Gray, you occupy your nemesis. I will go help Poison and Aza so that--while Ur won’t have her magic, which I’m sorry for, Gray, but she might be able to re-learn it--she’ll have her memories intact.”

Mizu pressed her lips together. She exchanged looks-nervous looks-with Selene. Erza seemed to pick up on what they weren’t saying.

“They’ve done something like this before.” Mizu looked down.

Selene shook her head. “No. _Poison’s_ done it before, yes. It was slightly different, though. And you know the person it was done to.” Gray frowned. Lucy gasped, apparently figuring it out.

“It was Akira.” Lucy stated simply. She looked at Selene. “I’m right, aren’t I?” Selene’s eyes flashed.

“It was, yes. But that was an entirely different situation.” Selene inhaled sharply. “I only know that Deliora can be revived, but I’m not sure about Ur.”

~:~

Selene entered the cave where Aza and Poison sat, magic pouring off of the two in waves.

Poison detached a hand from Aza’s and simply held it out to Selene.

As Selene took it and Aza’s other hand, the power increased, and the Iced Shell started to form a woman.

~:~

Selene opened her eyes to see two people just lying in front of her, obviously unconscious. One, she knew, must be Ur. The other must have been Deliora’s human form. Her legs were asleep as she lurched up, and she fell flat on her face and grunted just as Mizu appeared, her face flushed.

“Hey, Selene!” Mizu greeted, sounding a little worn out. Selene glanced around and saw Aza leaning against the wall like she didn’t care, staring at the person she assumed to be Deliora.

“Hi, Mizu,” Selene replied, her voice a little hoarse. “What’s happening up there?”

Mizu grinned. “A real bitch fight between Lyon and Gray happened. Those two are idiots. Ur went up there-she’s the one who has the purplish hair-and Aza dragged her back down after Ur talked some sense into them. Apparently Ur and Deliora are connected in some way, so it strained a bond or something? I don’t know. Anyway, she needed to be near Deliora so Deliora could recuperate, and until Deliora recuperates fully Ur has to sleep near her.” Mizu shrugged. “Aza knocked Ur out because Ur protested about Deliora being alive or something. I don’t care, really, but hey, now that Lucy has Akira’s keys she wanted and Lucy has her own key-which, apparently, is Sagittarius- we can go home to Fairy Tail and explain to the Master why we all came on an S-Class quest.” Mizu spoke really fast.

“Alright.” Selene’s response was quick. “Let’s get these two and go home.”

~:~

Selene didn’t know the process of returning life to one basically dead. All she knew was that it was a lengthy one, and upon leaving Galuna Island, Akira and Lyra-back to normal-collapsed, barely strong enough to stay conscious. Deliora had woken up and apologized-with great remorse-to Gray and Ur, but both had remained silent and unwilling to talk to the scared demon of destruction. Ur planned on travelling Earthland so that she could try to re-learn Ice Make magic, and Lyon had decided to join the guild called Lamia Scale with his companions. And that was pretty much the end of that adventure, but the beginning of many for the new Team Natsu that included Lyra and the Soli triplets.

_Little did the heirs of the greatest Konzerns known in the world that trouble would soon be knocking on the Fairy Tail guild’s doors…_


	3. Phantom Lord

“I hired a guild to retrieve the heirs to the Heartfilia, Fierce, and Soliana Konzerns. I hope you do not mind, Lady Fierce.” Figures in a shadowed office looked toward the sole owner of the Fierce Konzern. Lady Fierce’s family had produce the first sound pods and were-along with Heartfilia Railways and Soliana Weapons-one of the richest families (other than the Royal Family) in Fiore.

Lady Fierce sighed. Her voice was smooth, yet slightly accented. “If any harm comes to my children, Jude, it will not matter that my sister was your wife. I will punish you, no matter the cost.” Her voice was low and angry for some reason.

“I assure you, Lady Fierce, none of my mages will harm Lyra or Al Fierce.” A voice said, making Lady Fierce snort.

“I dislike your methods, José Porla, master of Phantom Lord.” Lady Fierce entered a shaft of light. Her blonde hair made her look almost exactly like Layla Heartfilia-though Terra Fierce had gray eyes, not Layla’s golden brown eyes. “And Lyra’s talking pet cat will not be harmed either. Or else I will be certain to not pay you at all.” Her voice held dark threat. The Master of Phantom Lord only smirked and bowed mockingly.

“It doesn't matter what shape you get my children in, just alive enough to marry,” Lord Soliana said. He was Jude Heartfilia’s half-brother. His father had agreed to pronounce him heir after having an affair with Jude’s mother. Lady Soliana-who used to be a friend of Layla’s with white-ish hair-just looked away from the meeting.

Her daughters were an exact replica of her, but they’d probably dyed their hairs different colors.

“Very well. We shall be as quick as we can, Lords and Ladies of the Konzerns.”

Jude Heartfilia sighed as Master Porla left the room. He’d had to work his way up from scratch to cover up the fact that he used to be born into privilege-he hadn’t eve told Layla, but he’d been disowned from his family until he’d finally worked a decent way up the social ladder.

Lady Fierce was the first to leave.

“Good day,” she said and quickly left.

Lady Soliana quietly excused herself as well when it became apparent the men wished to talk.

“Lady Fierce,” she called softly.

The head of the Fierce Konzern looked back at Lady Soliana.

“Can you get a message to my daughters?” Soliana asked, slipping a letter from her sleeve.

Terra Fierce eyed her for a few seconds. “Of course,” she replied. She slipped the letter into her own sleeve.

~:~

As for the Fairy Tail mages, after the Changeling accident Makarov decided NOT to punish the newcomers for the Galuna Island incident, even going as far as to accept the now-human Deliora, now called Emily, into the guild.

It was on a random evening that Akira burst in, excitement in every movement she made.

“Guys!” she yelled, making her team, which they called Team Demon, look over at her. “Mother and Aunt Terra sent us a letter!”

Emily (Deliora) excused herself as Akira and the cats huddled around.

“What do they say?” Syrian eagerly asked. Extalia seemed more animated than usual as well.

“Well, Lyra can read the one from Aunt Terra-she is Lyra’s and Al’s mother after all. I’ll read Mother’s letter.” Akira opened the envelope.

“It says:

_“Dear Selene, Akira, and Mizu:_

_"I miss you three so much. How have you been? I've heard that you three are in Fairy Tail. I know it’s been a while since we last talked, but can you send me a message back?_

_“On an entirely different note, your uncle Jude has hired a guild to retrieve Lucy, you three, Lyra, and Al along with your pets. I don’t know exactly the name of the guild, but I’ll try to send you more information as I receive it. Be careful, you three, and warn Lyra._

_“Have you three dyed your hair yet? I know how much you three hate to be called each other, especially since you first started putting colored contacts in the last time I saw you. Please come home and visit us sometime. Your father wishes you to marry upon reaching your eighteenth and to quit using magic. But since you inherited you’re…unique…heritage from me, I can tell him that he won’t be pleased when it’s practically impossible._

_“One last thing. Selene, I heard about Enca and everything that happened. A friend of yours, named Lyric, came to see you three this past month. She seemed hurt. Badly so-like slashed up. I used as much power I could without your father noticing, but unfortunately it might not be enough. I told her she should search for Lucy-and yes, I did tell her that where Lucy would be you would. Your uncle and father are the ones that want you home, but your Aunt Terra doesn't quite seem to care whether or not Lyra, Al, and her cat comes home or not and honestly I don’t mind you coming home, but on less…drastic terms._

_Remember, you always have a home here._

_Love always,_

_Mother.”_

Akira finished reading the letter, allowing it to drop on the table.

“Has everyone heard of the ‘Enca Incident’?” Lyra growled angrily. “It’s not as if reporters were there or anything!”

Despite herself, Akira snorted. “The entire island country of Enca classified it as a terrorism incident from the island of Caelum.” Glaring at nothing in particular, Akira folded her arms as Macao and Wakaba joined them. “And Caelum was definitely NOT the one that caused that explosion.”

“You know about the Enca Incident?” Macao questioned.

“Yeah,” Mizu uncomfortably said, shifting her gaze away from Akira. _We sort of caused it,_ crossed the four teens’ minds.

“Unfortunately so,” Akira said, stabbing her noodles, something she constantly ordered from Mira. “We were sort of there."

“Sweet,” Wakaba said. “Mind telling us what happened?” Their stares seemed…a little _too_ inquisitive.

“A few teens revolted against some idiots who thought they were right, their power combined and created an extremely big explosion that killed the people that were being revolted against.” Akira’s face was neutral. _Believe the lie I’m telling you. It's not far from the truth._

“Oh,” Wakaba said, looking a little taken aback. “How did you survive?”

Akira slammed her fork down. “None of your business,” she snarled, standing up and walking away.

Selene sighed. “Even for us, that is a question that is unable to be answered right now,” she explained quietly. “Al barely survived, himself, but he does not carry the amount of pain that we do.” He eyes were haunted. She silently added to herself, _And we have no idea, ourselves, of the hell that Akira and Lyra-but especially Akira-went through._

Macao nodded and dragged Wakaba off to grab a few more drinks.

“This is going to get harder and harder to conceal,” Akira said, popping back up. “They’re beginning to get suspicious.”

“No, really?” Selene asked sarcastically. “We had no idea!”

“Shut up, Selene,” Lyra said, flicking her fingers dismissively. “Now, does anyone want to hear what MY mother has to say?” It was a rhetorical question, as Lyra quickly began speaking.

"It says:

_"Dearest Lyra,_

_“How has my two favorite children been? Have you joined Fairy Tail like you promised your father? And are your cousins with you?_

_“I hope life has treated you well. I had a couple contacts in Enca during the unfortunate incident, and they reported seeing a look-alike of you with blue hair practically in the epicenter of the entire thing! I sincerely hope you are okay and didn’t get any scars!_

_“On another, more solemn topic, your uncle Jude has hired PL to get you by any means necessary. I said that you, Al, and your pet must be returned unharmed-however, if Al wishes to take your place as the Fierce heir so you could fulfill your dream of being a mage-especially since you inherited my unique genes, and tell Lucy properly of her heritage if she doesn't know-, I would be most pleased with either of you. However, I do have an illegitimate child, seeing as I cheated on your father once. He’s about twelve now and loves business stuff._

_“Hopefully I get to see you soon, Lyra, Al. Tell Al that even though I addressed this letter to you it’s for both of you, kay?_

_“Lots of Fierce love,_

_"Mother."_

The cousins were silent until Akira broke the ice by laughing. “I cannot believe she’s being so blasé about cheating on Uncle Lee,” Mizu stated, currently drinking down flames.

“Eh, I can’t exactly blame her-Dad was an idiot.” Lyra balled up the letter before smoothing it out again.

“PL…would that be the guild that Mom was talking about?”

Mira suddenly appeared, Al next to her. “I’m leaving the guild, please lock up when you’re done,” Mira said. They all looked around to see everyone was already gone.

“Right,” Akira replied at last. Mira and Al smiled at them and walked away, chatting. “I don’t know too many guilds with the initials ‘PL’, but if I’m right it’s Phantom Lord.” Akira thought she heard something after she spoke. She looked around suspiciously and sighed with relief when she found nothing. 

“But if it’s Phantom Lord, they’d know of our unique genetics,” Selene whispered, and everyone was on edge as they thought they heard a creak.

“Yeah…actually I don’t think so.” Akira blinked when she realized those words had unconsciously slipped through her mouth. “If they knew, then they’d know we kind of caused the explosion in Enca.”

“You mean, _you_ did,” Selene pointed out, standing up.

Akira’s gaze dropped ashamedly. “I know,” she whispered. “I killed a lot of people that day.” She looked at her hands.

“Akira-“

“JUST GO!” Akira shouted, standing up. “Just LEAVE ME ALONE! I can’t handle you staring at me like I’m going to blow! I did it to protect you three! Kami!” She turned around. Syrian left with the other cats.

Akira collapsed on her knees.

After a few seconds of crying, Akira pulled herself together enough to stand…and abruptly screamed when an iron pole slammed into her from the outside.

~:~

Akira awoke in a foggy daze.

“It’s been a day-you think she’ll be okay?”

“Who cares? She’s a fairy!” Snickers erupted as Akira opened her eyes and tried to sit up-only to see that shades were rendering her immobile. She was glad to see she was still in Magnolia, though by the scent of the earth around her she’d been unconscious for the better part of a day, which meant that she’d been kidnapped by Phantom Lord.

She was so _screwed_ when Selene found her again.

Fear crept up on her. She’d been completely at the Enca slave trade’s mercy like this-shackled and hurt. She was only bruised, and assessing her body through magical pulses so soft they didn't count as outside magic, she was able to sense that she was definitely still okay.

 _At least they didn't rape me_. That was one good thing.

Akira focused her energy on remaining calm. Then she was picked up and knocked out again.

~:~

Her vision slowly came back as she felt the tree’s energy seeping into her.

She’d been unconscious for about…hmm…

 _How long?_ She silently asked the tree she was apparently shackled to. Another cool thing about earth dragon slaying? She could talk to plants and trees (and the grass), but she normally didn’t because they were really, really repetitive sometimes. Trees, though, were usually wise enough to give answers in a human-esque way so that Akira could understand.

 _The moon fled and the sun sauntered over,_ the tree replied. _It is on its ninth step._

So…it was nine in the morning.

_Lovely._

She heard people murmuring things- _She’s so wounded!-Is that Team Shadowgear up with the new leader of Team Demon?-Someone better tell Master Makarov!_ -and she opened her eyes, only to squint when she saw some flashes of a camera lacrima.

“Ugh,” she muttered, her head pounding.

“Team Demon’s leader’s awake! Miss Soli, how do you-“

“Fuck off,” Selene hissed, glaring at the reporter. Akira slowly raised a brow.

“Water Dragon’s Secret Art: Whip!” Lyra called, gathering water and slicing through the iron like butter.

“Iron,” Akira whispered. “A dragon slayer. Iron.” She could smell him.

Selene smacked Akira. “OW!”

~:~

The Soli triplets and Lyra walked with Lucy, Al and the cats having gone to stay with Mirajane (according to Selene) after Selene had left Akira in the sort of empty guild.

Lucy sighed in exasperation when she realized that since Lucy, Akira, Selene, Mizu, and Lyra were all being hunted that it would be safer to walk with each other-more protection…but Akira wasn’t there after they left the hospital, having ‘gone to the bathroom’.

Instead, she’d actually snuck out to join the raid against Phantom Lord.

~:~

The doors to Phantom Lord exploded inward, creating black smoke. Akira was posing, leaning against the wall, showing off her Fairy Tail mark on her stomach. Her eyes, though, were that of Azakarika.

Anger pulsed through both Akira and Aza.

“Fairy Tail’s come calling!” Makarov shouted, and Aza grinned, Akira’s dragon slayer magic activating ‘Earth Drive’. And it only took strong emotions-strong, unfiltered emotions-to activate her dragon slayer drive, unlike if other slayers had to kill their parent dragons or work hard to activate their dragon slayer drive.

“Earth Drive,” she whispered. Any earth-even iron (if she were desperate) was able to be consumed by her. Yeah, she cringed at the prospect of literally eating dirt, but if she were _that_ desperate she would.

She immediately saw Black Steel Gajeel, the one who’d hurt her cousin by hurting Akira and Levy…and Aza growled at him.

“ _I can forgive you hurting Levy if it was possible,_ ” she said in the dragon-speak, something only dragons and dragon slayers spoke (by a very huge extension she _was_ part of Acnologia, the dragon of the Apocalypse…and Akira was a dragon slayer, so that was good). “ _But hurting Akira, and, by extension, myself? Not a good idea, Son of Metalicana._ ” Gajeel’s face changed, and the two engaged in battle.

~:~

Akira woke up. She’d-willingly-given control over to Aza, but now she didn’t know where-

“She thought she could beat Gajeel? She’s lucky she had the ‘air’ element user temporarily drain her power-Gajeel nearly wiped the floor with her!”

Akira growled angrily as she saw Gajeel walk toward her. She felt rough hands grab her.

“Where is my dragon?” he growled angrily. Akira’s stomach dropped.

“You really are Metalicana’s kid, aren't you?” At his no-recognition face, Akira groaned. “Your dad was my dragon parent’s mate.” The implications sunk in.

“You’re fucking kidding me,” Gajeel growled. “You’re Terra’s kid?”

Yeah, Akira-after Terra the dragon left-had to physically remind herself that her Aunt Terra was HUMAN and not dragon, therefore not her dragon mother.

“Yeah,” she replied snappishly. “I’m Terra’s kid.” She always kept a reminder of her parent with her. As Gajeel had his studs (which she could only guess were a result of Metalicana’s magic physically presenting itself) Natsu his…alright, salmon hair and scale scarf, Lyra her blue hair (from Aqua) and a small scale she’d embedded in her magical eyepatch to cover her Figure Eye (an eyepatch that will NEVER leave her, seeing as it’s also made from Aqua’s magic, a magical eyepatch that will disappear when she takes it off but returns when she needs it the most), Selene also had a sky blue scale belt that was like Lyra’s eyepatch, and Mizu a scarf that Igneel gave her as well…Akira had placed the scale she had received from Terra in the middle of her brand after years of carrying and almost losing it right before they actually got into Fiore. It had-to the normal mages-almost killed her, but she’d surprisingly survived. She also had a scarf from Terra (not made from her scales though, one of Terra’s powers was to make things out of earth) that was made out of earth not even a dragon other than Terra herself could eat. “So, are you really going to give me to my parents? And Terra actually left on July 7, X777.”

Gajeel stared at her for a second…then released her cuffs.

He threw her a cloak after returning from the hallway outside of her prison cell and gruffly said, “Can you change your hair color?”

Akira closed her eyes and when she opened them her hair was braided and midnight black. She examined the rest of her body and noticed her trick was working-she looked entirely different. Instead of seeing a Fairy Tail insignia, she used one she’d commonly seen in Enca.

The Fire Guild mark. Her fists clenched briefly. Her clothes were red, and not her normal toned down down-to-earth colors.

“Thank you…big brother.” She got a grunt in return.

“I’m only doin’ this because my dragon would want me to.” He gave her a glare. “And I don’t care about him.”

 _Oh-kayyy, I think the fact that he’s S-Class, in a self-proclaimed ‘great guild’, and basically an idiot like all dragon slayers are is why Metalicana left._ She mentally shook her head. _Or since everyone seems to be acting like an idiot lately, he’s just being a plain old jackass. First he helps me, says this is what Metalicana wants and then **doesn't care** about Metalicana…yeah, definitely Metalicana’s kid._

Akira sighed as she walked with her newfound older brother, all the while wondering what Lucy, her sisters, and Lyra were doing…

~:~

Phantom HQ, about thirty steps from where Gajeel and Akira are…

Lucy kicked Porla in his family jewels, Selene having left a few seconds earlier, Poison the only one actually in the cell still. Gajeel entered just as Lucy threw herself…out of the building, Poison jumping after her.

Akira paused, backed up, and ran out the window, screaming in delight the whole way down.

 

 

 


	4. Chapter 4

Akira paced inside of the warehouse Lucy, Selene, Lyra, Mizu, Akira, and Reedus all stood inside. Akira’s thoughts were troubled, mostly centering on the fact that Jude wanted Lucy. She wasn’t too concerned that Gajeel would try to kidnap Lyra or the Soli sisters, seeing as it was mainly Jude’s idea.

One dragon instinct pulled at her: _Protect Lucy._

Her demon instinct:  _Hurt the ones who hurt Lucy’s friends._

Her human instinct: _RUN LIKE HELL!_

The one that overrode each of those? Her dragon instinct. So she just paced, wearing a line in the woodwork of the warehouse.

Lucy suddenly yelled out something, making all eyes go to her.

She started thrashing, and Reedus hovered over anxiously. “Wake up, Lucy! It’s just a dream!”

“GET OUT OF MY ROOM!” Lucy kicked him, sending him flying across the safe house-warehouse.

“Chill, Lu, it’s just a flipping dream,” Selene said, her voice tight.

“Would you like to be painted?” Reedus meekly offered.

“As long as you tell no one about what we’re discussing with Lucy,” Lyra replied, her visible eye darker than normal.

Lucy looked confused. “Why?” she asked.

Lyra kept staring at Reedus. “Fine!” Reedus yelped, obviously scared of Lyra.

“Good. Lucy, sit there.” They all sat on a crate in natural poses. Then Lyra looked at her other cousins in slight fear.

“Go ahead Lyra, I won’t judge,” Lucy laughed. She stopped as she realized nobody laughed with her.

Akira was the only one that stood in a position that was both provocative, yet relaxed. “We’re not normal dragon slayers,” she said simply. “When we were born, we inherited a unique trait from our mothers.” Selene snorted. “It happens a few times in each generation for us, and normally in very small quantities. However, when creatures like us are born and our mothers don’t die, well, then there’s going to be a massacre sometime in the far future. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is, Lucy, you and us are Conduits.”

Dead silence. Reedus looked up to stare at Lucy and the triplets. Lucy looked scared.

“No way,” she whispered. “My mom died on July seventh, X777. That was-“

“When you were barely ten years old…like us.” A lump was in Akira’s throat. “We-Al, Lyra, Selene, Mizu, and I-were enslaved and taken to Enca three years ago.” She took a deep breath, steeling herself. “I was the cause of the explosion in Enca.” Lucy was silent.

“Well,” she said at last. “I can’t say I blame you.” Akira looked at her cousin in shock.

“Before I left home last year, I was eavesdropping on my father so I could have an opportunity to steal Mother’s keys. He said something about Enca doing experimental spells on three subjects. Subjects Lyre, Music, and Lust." Akira was frozen when she heard the second name. “Subject Lyre was, as I eventually found out, Lyra, even though her name is pronounced LIE-ra and not LEE-ra like the spirit. Music…I’m not sure-“

“Lyric. Another Conduit friend of ours.”

“Okay, then. Lyric. And Lust…I know that’s you, Akira. And when I asked discreetly around afterwards, I realized they were doing _hundreds_ of _illegal_ potions on you, illegal dark spells.” Lucy shrugged. “According to my father they were also people who’d apparently been killed a LONG time ago.”

Reedus nodded. “ _Oui_. That is also what I heard. A while ago,” he added.

Lucy sighed. “I shouldn’t just be sitting here!” Lucy said. “I should be helping-“

“No offense, but you’re magic is Holder-type, not Conduit. Not yet,” Akira added.

“What’s the difference?” Lucy questioned.

Akira smirked. “The difference is, you’re able to specialize in multiple types of magic, both Holder and innate. As soon as you contract with Lucifer, then you should be good, but maybe not. Now that I think about it, our full powers are still relatively new to us, seeing as we got them on the night of the explosion.” Akira shrugged. “We were also branded with a tattoo.”

Lucy hesitated for a second. “Can I see it?”

Akira smiled and took off the cloak (she’d still worn the cloak, seeing as her clothes were sort of ripped from jumping out of a building that was really high). She turned around and tugged her shirt down.

Lucy examined the tattoo and frowned when she saw the green thing in the middle. “What’s the green thing in the middle?” Lucy questioned.

Akira smirked again. “A scale from my dragon. I never got a scarf or a belt, so I placed it in my tattoo as a reminder.” Selene gave her a disapproving look.

“Akira, that was dumb.”

“What? It’s not like I could’ve died from infection!” Akira protested. Lucy gave her cousin a skeptical look.

“True,” Selene conceded. “But it would’ve hurt like a bitch.”

Lucy raised an eyebrow at Selene’s coarse language. “Where are your cats?” She idly asked, making them look around, faintly surprised looks on their faces.

“I don’t know, they usually fly where they want,” Lyra dismissed. “It’s not too surprising-after all, they are dating each other. The exception being Extalia, though she probably went to help Happy.”

“Oh.” They lapsed into silence again, Akira curling up to sleep.

~:~

“THAT HAPPENED WHEN I WAS ASLEEP?! WHY DIDN’T ANYONE TELL ME?!” Wailed a certain green and blue haired girl.

“SHUT UP, AKIRA! WE DIDN’T WANT TO WAKE YOU AND GET THE HELL BEATEN OUT OF US!” Selene shouted. “Besides, even if you’d awoken, your stupid brother just _had_ to try to kidnap Lucy. And succeeded, but kind of failed to capture us.” Selene bit into a cracker. “And, of course, he sort of told them not to touch us or, to quote him, _‘I will kick your asses so hard that you won’t ever be able to use magic again_ ’. How is he your brother?"

Akira pinked. “Terra and Metalicana were sort of…” she trailed off and hooked two fingers together meaning fully.

Selene choked on her drink, while Mizu had a naughty smile on her face. “So dragons can do that too?” she purred, making Akira go redder. “I think Grandeeney and Igneel were like that as well, though,” she added thoughtfully.

Akira stood up. “Where are you going?” Mizu asked, as if the perverted Conduit girl hadn’t just been talking about dragons mating with each other.

“On a job with Team Natsu. After that, I’m going to chill, get drunk, and hopefully forget that comment you just said,” she stated plainly. She walked over to Team Natsu’s table and was immediately allowed to help them with the job.

Selene gazed at Akira, a serene smile on her lips. Perhaps Akira was finally healing. Or maybe she was just burying the sadness. Selene sighed and walked over to Lucy. “Hey, Lucy, after you get back from your job, can you help us find an apartment?”

Levy, a Team Shadowgear member, looked up. “You could live in Fairy Hills,” she said helpfully. Fairy Hills was an all-woman dorm.

“Lyra lives with Al,” Akira absently stated.

“Oh, are they dating?” Akira had been swallowing her drink…and now she was currently choking on it. Eyes watering, Akira and a horrified looking Selene shook their heads. “Kami no! They’re siblings,” Selene said. “The Fierce siblings.”

“And you’re the Soli siblings, yeah, we get it.”

Akira sighed. “Actually, we’re the Soliana heirs."

Bisca Mulan and Alzack Connell both stopped in their tracks. “As in the family that makes weapons for the _army_? And the mages?!” Bisca yelled.

Selene shrugged. “We don’t like to advertise it.”

"WHY NOT?!”

“Because,” Mizu said, appearing behind them, “of a reason that we don’t wish to tell. Now, Selene, we must go, Lyra’s looking bored. Later, Lucy! See you soon!”

Lucy sighed. “See you…” she replied unenthusiastically.

~:~

“You’re Leo the Lion, aren't you?” Akira asked, making Loke, one of Fairy Tail’s mages, jump.

“W-who told you that?!” Loke yelped.

“I sort of sense these things. I hold the Infernal Keys,” she added, smirking a little. “Plus, I happened to hear of what happened from Azrael.”

“You and Azrael are contracted?!” Loke yelled.

Akira nodded. “Yeah.” Akira brought out a different key. “This one, however, is special.”

“Which one is it?”

“Open, gate of the two-tailed kitsune! Abrati!”

A cute little fox appeared. Then it transformed into a young girl. “Abrati. Here’s Leo the Lion.” Abrati turned to Loke…and hugged him.

“Leo!!!! I've heard sooo much about you!!!! Hime-sama Akira won’t let me out when I want to be near you!” Abrati squealed.

Loke looked astonished. “But-“

“Loke, Lucy genuinely cares about her spirits,” Abrati said, interrupting the lion. “It wasn’t your fault. Karen died because of Angel of Oración Seis.” Abrati’s voice went sad. “I miss being the Heavenly kitsune, but I’d much rather be in possession of Akira than anyone else.” Abrati pouted.

“She was a Celestial Spirit?” Loke asked Akira.

Akira nodded sadly. “She was only a single-tailed fox at that time, though. Just a fox. When I found her, she was being mistreated, so I stole the bitch’s keys and Abrati was given new life. Azrael was also apprehended from her previous owner and she was the one who healed Abrati.”

Loke looked down. “Why did you come out here? To convince me to stay and become an Infernal Key?”

Akira shook her head, amused. “Nope. I’m not under the jurisdiction of the Celestial King. I’m under my own jurisdiction as Infernal Keys don’t have contracts with their masters in the sense that you Celestial beings do.”

“Enlighten me,” Loke said, his voice curious.

“Azrael and the demons-while under Lucifer’s orders-become under my orders when I apprehend them or find them. No rules exist to protect Infernal Keys. When an Infernal Key kills its master, no punishment is allotted. Lucifer, being a Key himself, can kill me whenever he likes. However, if a key holder kills a spirit, that is when the keys are scattered and the Holder-type wizard is destroyed, and/or stripped of his/her magic.” Loke looked shocked. Akira shrugged. “To me, I learned from my aunt Layla that no matter how harsh a spirit is, you must be nice and kind and caring.” Akira let a soft smile form on her lips. Then she realized Loke wasn’t getting it and turned away, throwing her hands up in exasperation. “Oh, this is hopeless.”

“Wait!” Akira stopped and turned. “What did you mean?” he asked, and Akira blinked.

“It wasn’t your fault, Loke. Did you, Leo the Lion, kill Karen Lilica?” Akira saw Lucy standing behind Loke. Akira smiled at her a little, but kept looking at Leo.

“Yes!”

“Let me rephrase that.” Akira dug out the key she wanted. “Open, gate of the truth-teller! Veritas!”

A girl with a shimmering mirror appeared. “You called, Hime-sama?” She looked almost exactly like Virgo, with the exception being her hair was purple and her eyes were red instead of blue. She wore a maid outfit, but the mirror in her hands…it seemed to reflect the truths hidden inside. Her fallen name was Vertigo, but her power refused to work unless she was called 'Veritas', her former Celestial name.

“I did. Loke, what happened with Karen?”

Loke began to talk, but froze when the mirror sprang to life, showing them everything. The cold, hard truth. Something that the Infernal Keys usually liked better than lies.

“Leo,” Lucy said for the first time. “You didn’t kill Karen. It wasn’t your hand that killed her…so why are you being punished?”

Time stopped. Literally. Leo panicked, but didn’t move from his spot.

Akira was a little tense-some Celestial spirits were okay with Infernal Spirits (like Leo, Aquarius, Virgo, Libra, and Scorpio) but Akira wasn’t sure about the Celestial Spirit King, who she knew was coming here.

“He came here because Lucy basically said he was wrong?” Leo whispered in absolute astonishment.

“Apparently,” Akira dryly replied.

“Old friend,” the King said. Akira felt the ages-old power in the King’s glance gaze at her for a few seconds past polite. “My judgment remains.”

“That’s bullcrap,” Akira yelled furiously. Vertigo nodded.

“Silence, Infernal one,” the King commanded.

Lucy summoned her spirits. “They don’t want to let you go, Leo! Akira doesn’t even want you to die!”

Leo looked at Lucy's Celestial Spirits and gasped. All of Lucy's spirits were there, a testament to Lucy's power and strength. Akira was staring at him with an unreadable expression-but Loke had the distinct feeling that Akira was agreeing with Lucy's statement.

“My judgment is sound.”

“Lie,” Vertigo snarled, glaring at the Celestial King. Akira smirked; she knew Vertigo’s reaction when faced with the same way twice (or just once). “You lie. It is not a sound judgment; it is a judgment made by rules. This so-called ‘law’ forbids the celestial spirit to kill his or her wizard. Loke did not-in any way, shape, or form-kill Karen. Karen went on a job she couldn’t handle.” Vertigo’s voice seethed with anger. Akira saw Virgo looking at Vertigo with bored curiosity. “Even if Loke had killed Karen, he would have killed her trying to protect Aries.” Vertigo slipped back into her monotone in that statement.

The Spirit King seemed to glance at Akira. “Control your spirits, Infernal One.”

Akira snickered. “You want me to control my spirits? Over my dead, cold, and blown-up body.” Loke and Lucy both gave her a funny look at that statement.

“Vertigo does have a point,” Lucy said, and Loke gave a glance at the two.

“JUST LET ME DIE!” he yelled.

“Screw that,” Akira said pleasantly. “Spirit King, open your eyes. Listen to what your so-called ‘old friend is asking you! He’s asking you for another flipping chance-one that you seem to be withholding! You know that your law is old and stupid! Yes, Karen died! She got killed by a different wizard-not Loke!”

The Spirit King stared at Akira, his gaze unreadable. “Very well. I bid you return to the spirit world, Loke.”

“But-“

“If you insist, I want you to be in the service of the CELESTIAL wizard human girl.”

“Thanks, Stache Face!” Lucy said, giving him a thumbs up. Stache Face (appropriately named) suddenly smiled.

Then time resumed. Loke clasped Lucy’s hand and vanished back into the spirit world, his key clutched in her palm.

~:~

“Hey, Akira,” Selene said, an odd look on her face. “I think this is for you.” Akira furrowed her brow.

Selene held out an envelope that looked…opened. She suspiciously re-opened it…and felt a key. Curiously, she brought it out…and screamed.

“OH MY KAMI I CANNOT BELIEVE IT OH MY KAMI!!!!” She then collapsed into tears, going as far as hugging Selene by the knee. “You’re so awesome Selene!!!!”

“JUST SUMMON THE DAMN SPIRIT!” Selene yelled good-naturedly. Akira nodded.

She affixed a stance similar to that of Lucy’s when summoning a spirit. “OPEN, GATE OF THE RULER OF HELL! LUCIFER!”

A black magic circle appeared…and the most gorgeous guy in the history of gorgeous guys popped out.

Every single girl in the guild’s attention was on him, the guys staring at Lucifer like he was their worst enemy. Akira, however, was the only one able to break the spell (not a physical spell-he was just _that_ handsome). She was definitely affected, though.

“Lucifer. Want to make a deal?” she asked in a shaky voice. Said Infernal Spirit looked at her.

“Ah, Lady Lust. I’ve heard much about you.” He knelt down. “I may offer my services to you, Lady Akira and Lust, as an Infernal Key. My powers do involve catching the attention of any female in the vicinity of me. And, as the Leader of the Infernal Keys, you, Hate, and Deliora dear may enter my realm.” He gave her a dazzling grin. “Horologium and I have a deal to keep you alive, although he wasn’t specific about wanting anything in return. As for the rest of my powers…” he licked his lips. “You’ll just have to find out.”

Most of the girls dropped unconscious from blood loss from steadily dripping noses. Akira herself was hard-pressed to keep her nose from bleeding.

“I must depart, my love,” he whispered. “And,” he added, turning to Lucy, “a one-time contract deal has been made. When you’ve used it, you can no longer call me. Got it?”

Lucy nodded, and then fainted. Finally Lucifer gave Akira a dazzling grin (which sent the rest of the girls unconscious-except for Akira, though her nose was bleeding heavily) and vanished.

She grabbed Gray’s newly-discarded shirt and held it to her nose. “Hey!” Gray yelled.

Akira lowered his shirt from her nose and gave him a scary glare that sent the males cowering (it looked especially creepy with the blood). “Would you rather I die of blood loss?” she asked, and Gray shuddered.

"No,” he practically whimpered.

Mirajane was also unconscious, which was probably because of Lucifer’s dark, otherworldly, handsome look. If anyone thought Laxus was hot with his clothes _on_ (not that Akira wanted to see them off), or really anyone at the guild who people thought were hot…Lucifer was _the_ hottest man that was unavailable for long-term relationships.

Makarov came out from his temporary office, which was only temporary because the guild hall still needed to be finished.

“Mira, can I have a-MIRA?!”

“Chill, Master, she’s only unconscious because I have the hottest man in the world with me,” Akira sighed, hearts in her eyes as she thought of the Infernal Master Key. Then the hearts shattered and her cheeks gained a rose-red color as the men laughed at her.

“SHUT UP!” she yelled.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	5. The Lost Magic of Tranformation

“So, you’re a Celestial Spirit?” Natsu asked Leo.

“Yeah,” Leo answered. “And it’s all thanks to Akira and Lucy that I am myself again.” Leo smiled at said Celestial/Infernal wizard. Akira stood off to the side, Abaddon-Azrael’s brother-right next to her. He was the destroyer (or was known as).

“Did you really use Vertigo to help a Celestial Spirit?” Abaddon questioned.

Akira sighed irritably. “Yes, Abaddon, I did! Jeez, Abrati wanted to see her distant cousin again before she had to go, and Vertigo helped Leo because of Abrati. Lucifer gave me his key afterwards for some reason. All I have to do now is get Lyra-my cousin-to help me find Draco, the Celestial Dragon, so he could teach Lucy to be a dragon slayer.” Akira shivered violently when Abaddon stiffened and growled a little. “What is it?” Abaddon had an amazing sense of smell, and for him to stiffen like he had it must have been an unwelcome, yet familiar smell.

“Ren.” His single word had Akira frozen in shock.

“R-ren? What’s he doing near here?” Akira hissed.

“He’s not here, but he’s coming,” Abaddon responded. Akira nodded.

“Got it. Can you smell Lyric?” Abaddon sniffed again.

“Barely, but yes. It seems Ren did survive the explosion after all.”

Akira’s demon stirred. _Traitor. Death to Ren!_ Akira shook her head.

**_Don’t think like that, Lust. As long as we’re here, we’re putting Fairy Tail in danger._ **

Selene looked over and Akira saw her face change from happy to worry. Akira sighed.

She walked over to Selene and said, “Traitor that Abaddon was ‘contracted’ to is coming here.” Selene went pale.

“Should we run or what?” Selene questioned, her gaze hard.

“Let’s run, but come back to Fairy Tail in a few weeks,” Akira replied with a sad tone. “We could probably be in Caelum in a week, wreak some havoc there, and then come back to Fairy Tail in time for the Harvest Festival.”

Selene nodded. “Do you think the Exceeds could stay?” Akira looked at the Exceeds and whistled. Only Syrian and Extalia came.

“Yes?” Extalia asked, and Akira whispered instructions. Extalia gave a nod. “Certainly. Syrian, tell the others. You will stay here, okay?”

Syrian nodded. “Got it.” Syrian flew off to join her friends. Extalia flew over to Al, Lyra, and Mizu, who were all instantly alert.

“Got it.”

“Akira! We had one extra ticket and nobody else wanted to come, so do you want to stay at Akane Resort for a week with us?” Lucy eagerly asked. Akira looked at Abaddon.

“How much time will I have?”

Abaddon sighed. “Two weeks at most before he gets here. I recommend leaving Akane in the middle of the week if you want to keep him from finding your scent.”

Akira nodded. “Got it.” She turned to Lucy. “Sure, I’ll go.” Lucy looked ecstatic.

“Thank you so much!!!!”

Akira nodded and hugged her sister. “See you in Caelum,” she whispered. Selene hugged her tighter.

“You better,” she said in a dark tone.

Akira nodded soberly. “I will.”

~:~

 Akira remained quiet throughout the ride to Akane Resort, her dark mood making the rest of Team Natsu wonder what was wrong with her.

“So, Akira,” Lucy said, finally breaking the silence. “Why are you leaving in the middle of the week?” Erza and Gray (Natsu was unconscious) both looked at Akira.

Akira hesitated, then sighed. “You have to promise that anything I say will never be repeated,” she finally said.

Lucy nodded. “Unless we’re allowed to, we won’t say a word.” Erza nodded, as did Gray.

Akira took a deep breath. “Three years ago, my sisters, Lyra, Al, and I were all kidnapped while our two families were visiting Enca. Enca’s magical population is obviously less than Fiore’s, so when it became clear about my family’s…unique abilities, we were kidnapped. Al isn’t a mage, but he saw who kidnapped us and was probably kidnapped to keep quiet.

“We were brought to a facility in Enca with fields all around it for miles. It wasn’t deserted; in fact, others like my sisters and I had been kidnapped and taken to Enca. They worked us very hard and hut us when we could barely do anything; I made sure that I was in the line of fire so often I found myself with a collection of scars.” Akira closed her eyes. “Selene and Mizu…I had to protect them, even though Selene’s older than me.” Akira took a deep breath and opened her eyes again, staring unseeingly outside the window. “And after about a month of getting whipped, they took me and I met Lyra again. Her tikis, though rarely seen, were with her at the time and her Figure Eye itself was badly damaged.

“They bought us inside the facility-which was called the Fire Guild for some lame reason-and it was there we met another that wasn’t part of our small family. Lyric. She’d inherited the unique trait, and that made us sisters. It was in there I found that Enca wanted to use Lyra and I as weapons. Demon lacrima were implanted in us, so we became…something else. While I and Lyra acclimated, the scientist mages performed hundreds of spells on us. Lost magic, death magic-we were prizes to be tested upon.

“I learned, in my various stages of lucidity, that there was a guild that tried to overthrow the facility and such, but was too far away from it to do any real damage.

“One day, when I was actually lucid, I saw Abaddon. He was out on his master’s orders, tending to us test subjects. Then his master entered and he told me-while he was injecting stuff in me-that I was to be his woman, his woman and weapon. It wouldn’t matter if I was aware or not; if I was strong enough, I would be his. His name was Ren Okubyōmono. He had a twin sister who was like us, but she acted like a boy and actually tried to help us. Her name was Renna Okubyōmono. Ren was a coward-his last name fits well. Renna was braver than her brother and was part of the guild I mentioned, which is called Phoenix Fire, and we both finally decided to use a potion on me that could kill all of the normal, non-unique-traited people there. I had an opportunity to steal Ren’s Infernal Keys, so I did. I summoned Azrael and told her to protect the ones like Al who weren’t here on their own accord. The day after that I started a revolt, but it hadn’t worked and I was strapped down, my new Infernal Keys still with me. After that, I allowed Renna to push the potion inside of me and it reacted violently with every other experiment that had been placed on me.” Akira lowered her eyes and whispered the next part.

“I blew up the Encan facility and the blast was big enough to get to five hundred miles away.” The train compartment was silent. “I killed a lot of people that day, people who were using magic to destroy my people. Hundreds of them had been held captive there; and I know that in Bosco even more of them are enslaved. _And I cannot save them._ ”

There was a stretched silence before Akira continued.

“Ren must have survived and taken Lyric with him upon escaping the facility. He’s after us because, unlike the others, we had to come here to Fiore because we wanted to kidnap Lucy to go to Fairy Tail. We wanted to tell her of her heritage and then live with what we hoped could be our family, but instead we led Ren to you.” Akira met Lucy’s eyes with an apology in them and stood up. “I understand if you don’t want to be my friend anymore.”

“Nonsense,” Erza said. “You’re part of Team Natsu, Akira, and we will always welcome you. Where did your sisters plan to go?”

“Caelum. We plan on meeting up with each other in Caelum and coming back in time for the Harvest Festival,” Akira replied hesitantly.

Erza hummed.

“Was that your entire life story?” Gray asked.

Akira laughed a little. “No way. When we were about four or five, Selene, Mizu, Lyra and I all ran away and found a bunch of dragons together. We thought they were going to kill us.” A small smile came onto her lips. “We were all taught a little of each element, so we can eat any element. Even the Celestial Dragon, Draco, was there. Along with a few kids.” Akira chuckled. “My older brother, Gajeel-“

“BLACK STEEL GAJEEL IS YOUR BROTHER?!” Lucy yelled.

“Only if you count the fact that he was my dragon mother’s mate’s son, then yes, Gajeel is my older brother,” Akira responded. “That’s kind of why he let us go…damn it, Gajeel, you hurt my cousin!” Akira felt Lust stirring angrily. She took a deep breath and continued. “Anyway, Gajeel and I butted heads for a while. Then, when we were ten, the dragons just vanished.” Akira’s eyes lowered again. “Grandine-Selene’s dragon mother-had another girl named Wendy, but I’m not sure what happened to her. Mizu and Natsu go back to Igneel, and there were two other dragons who had children. Skiadrum and Weisslogia. My dragon’s name was Terra-same as Lyra’s mother’s name-and Lyra’s was a dragon named Aqua, who was apparently taught by Aquarius.” Akira smiled at an obviously taken-aback Lucy.

“How can you learn each element?” Erza asked, her eyes narrowed. Just like that, Akira’s face turned neutral.

“I’d rather not answer that,” was her even reply. “Not yet.”

~:~

They left the train at the station nearest to Akane Resort. Lucy, Gray, Erza, Happy, and a newly-recovered Natsu went to their room, but Akira decided to first scout out the rest of the guests at the Resort.

Akira walked into the lobby, her face unrecognizable. Using her Conduit magic, she made herself look a lot like Erza. Anyone who was familiar with the Titania immediately flinched when they saw her, but then glanced at her to make certain she wasn’t Erza.

“Excuse me, miss. Do you know where I can find Erza Scarlet?” A tall man asked. Akira’s eyes narrowed.

“Just because I look like the Scarlet woman doesn’t mean I am her!” Akira exclaimed. Her heart beat rapidly.

The man nodded and moved aside. “My apologies, miss…”

“Raven,” Akira said, using her seldom-used middle name. “Raven Solan.” She stormed away, frowning. She looked at the reception desk and saw the tall man standing there.

With a shudder, Akira used her enhanced speed to fly up the staircase. “Erza, I need to talk to you. Alone,” she added hastily.

Erza nodded. “Very well. Shall we go into our room?” Akira followed Erza into Lucy’s, Erza’s, and Akira’s shared room. “What’s wrong?” Erza asked, and Akira explained what she was. Erza sat there for a minute, obviously in shock. Finally, she asked, “Why did you tell me this?”

“So I can ask you if I can fully borrow your image,” Akira truthfully responded. “I want to save your life, Erza. I’ll have your memories and be able to copy any armor you have ever used-in case you do want them again-and I can find out what this person I met wants with you.”

Erza hesitated. “What do you need?” Erza questioned seriously.

“Just a hair.” Erza grabbed a strand of hair and tugged it out. Akira clasped it into her hands, and then a real duplicate of Erza was in front of Erza. “I won’t make you stay, but I will request that I’m able to change you into me,” Akira said.

Erza nodded. “As you wish.” Akira clasped Erza’s hands and closed her eyes. Magic flared, then died.

“As long as I am alive and not dead you will stay like me until I take it off of you, okay?”

Erza nodded again. “I trust you.” Erza was being honest-that much Akira could see in her own eyes.

Akira and Erza walked out, (or rather Erza walked out in Akira’s visage and Akira walked out in Erza’s), and Lucy said, “Let’s go!”

~:~

They all headed down, ‘Erza’ going with Lucy to the poker table, and ‘Akira’ threading through the crowd.

‘Erza’ was surprised when she actually got lucky; then ‘Erza’s’ luck ran out. “I got a new one for you then,” came a vaguely familiar voice. Making sure not to pry into Erza’s personal history, ‘Erza’ looked up to match the voice with a face.

“Sho,” ‘Erza’ said in a shocked voice.

“Hello, sister,” Sho said, smiling evilly at her.

A cat girl came out of nowhere and bound ‘Erza’ and Lucy. “Meow!” the girl cried.

‘Erza’ sighed a little. “Millianna,” ‘Erza’ stated before someone hit her on a pressure point.

~:~

‘Erza’ woke up on a ship, Sho standing above her. “Why did you leave us, sister?” Sho demanded.

“Please, Sho, let me change into my armor,” ‘Erza’ pleaded.

“But you look so pretty in your dress,” Sho said, and ‘Erza’ inwardly growled. He touched her neck, and her inner dragon felt like castrating him. Only ‘Erza’ wasn’t so sure the actual Erza would be too happy if she castrated her ‘brother’, so she didn’t.

_WHY CAN’T YOU JUST TELL HIM WHO YOU ARE????_

**_Because Erza can’t be in danger. I cannot just leave family. Even if I do plan to leave for a short time._ **

Lust sighed, but gave up. _Whatever_.

‘Erza’ just stared at the tall man manning the boat’s direction. Sho left a few minutes later, leaving Tall Guy (‘Erza’ started thinking of him as ‘TG’) alone with ‘Erza’.

“I know you are not actually Erza Scarlet.” It was a simple statement.

‘Erza’ smirked. “Am I?”

“I can see the real you with my eyes. I can see you used a type of transformation magic that’s Lost. How did you do it without the incantation?”

‘Erza’s’ eyes widened. **_This type of transformation magic is Lost Magic? It must have been used on me by one of those damnable scientists._ **

“It was used on me as an experiment,” she replied, giving up the farce.

“So I was right. Do not say a word about this to any of the others,” TG ordered.

‘Erza’s’ eyes widened a little more. **_Is TG a double-crosser for whoever he’s working for? Wait. I CAN FIND TG’s NAME! I FEEL LIKE AN IDIOT!_ **

Quickly, ‘Erza’ searched the real Erza’s memory. One name and face stood out to her.

**_Simon_.**

~:~

‘Erza’ was led to the Tower of Heaven, and its structure brought back unwelcome memories in both fake and real Erza’s memories. A tower similar to this had been used to hold the test subjects, Akira, Lyric, and Lyra had been held in.

She squared her shoulders and entered with Sho guiding her. “What’s the matter, sis? Is it the cell you’re in?”

‘Erza’ pretended to shiver as she watched Simon leave.

 _ **Lucy…please**_ ** _hurry_.**  

“Who’s in charge?” ‘Erza’ asked forcefully.

“Forgot already? Jellal is, of course.” Sho walked away. “I was too scared back then.”

_**I have no fudging clue what you’re talking about, but please, continue so I can hurry up and get this stupid cat stuff off of me because it looks ridiculous…I AM SO STUPID!!!! I COULD HAVE ESCAPED A LONG TIME AGO IF I’D REMEMBERED I HAD MAGIC!** _

An irk mark appeared on ‘Erza’s’ forehead. She pressed against the wall (unwilling to reveal the fact that she had magic, even if it was SLIGHTLY repressed) and shoved upward, unhooking the cat stuff and accidentally tripping, also accidentally knocking Sho out by pushing him so hard he hit the opposite wall.

“Oops,” ‘Erza’ said, slipping out of the cat stuff. She walked out, all cool-like…and then changed into Erza’s normal Heart Kruez armor with normal (thank Kami) shoes/high boots. Eh. If Erza allowed her to keep the boots, she was definitely keeping them.

She equipped a sword and ran until she reached a banquet hall. The real Erza stood there, and fake Erza hugged the real Erza (who was still in Akira’s visage). “Let’s keep them in the dark about who’s who; Jellal is here, and we might actually have an upper hand if he doesn’t expect me,” she breathed into the real Erza’s ear.

The real Erza nodded.

“So,” Lucy said brightly, “what shall we do?”

The fake Erza sighed and a bright light washed over the area. The fake Erza allowed her disguise to shimmer away, and the real Erza’s Akira disguise shimmered away as well. “They won’t be able to see what we’re doing. Erza, you should explain your past, and can I keep the boots that came with your Heart Kruez armor?” Akira asked brightly. Natsu, Gray, and the rainwoman Juvia of the ex-element four had identically confused expressions as she went over to the table and started eating the food there.

“I will, and yes.”

And so Erza explained her past at the Tower of Heaven. After that was done, Akira put the illusion back up and went with Juvia and Lucy to fight Vidaldus Taka of Death’s Head.

 


	6. Aza Shows Part of Her True Form

“I want to make one of you my succubus,” Vidaldus Taka yelled. He chose Juvia.

Akira decided to use her roar. “Chikyū no doragon no hōkō!”* She roared, magical earth spilling out of her mouth.

Vidaldus glared at her and she sighed exasperatedly. “You didn’t think I was Erza, did you?” Akira asked with a smirk, her transformation magic gone. “Let’s see; am I the actual Erza, or is the actual Erza me?” She tapped her chin, grinning manically as Vidaldus shouted something or other about how she was ‘uncool’. Or…whatever.

“Chikyū doragon no tsubasa no kōgeki!” Akira let loose a double blast of her Earth dragon attacks.

“How dare you! You hurt my hair!” Vidaldus yelled. Indeed, a few strands had been sliced off.

“I made you look way better,” Akira dryly said. Vidaldus glared at her and strummed his guitar. Akira yelped and covered her ears. “Come on, Jellal _must_ have better taste in music!” Not that she knew what Jellal liked in the music industry, as this place looked virtually closed off to the outside world before and after the Tower of Heaven had been completed.

Irritated beyond belief, she opted for smashing Vidaldus’ guitar when, all of a sudden, water crashed down on Vidaldus and Akira.

Of course, Akira disliked water when it came in uncontrolled amounts, but Azakarika reveled in the water crashing down on them.

“CAN YOU WATCH WHERE YOU’RE SPLASHING?!” Akira yelled, turning to meet a furious-looking Aquarius.

Aquarius huffed. “DON’T CALL ME FOR ANOTHER TWO WEEKS!” She yelled at Lucy. “I’ll be with my boyfriend. My _boyfriend_ ,” she repeated scathingly.

Lucy and Juvia shivered as they both yelled, “Yes, Ma’am!” Aquarius left, and Juvia and Lucy put their hands together. Quickly, Akira dug a hole and hid in it, earth covering it almost instantly. She herself felt the power radiating from them, causing a Unison Raid.

~:~

Akira, once certain that the Unison Raid was over, used her earth dragon powers to come out of the earth. “I never got to punch him,” Akira said sadly. Lucy chuckled and Juvia sighed.

“I’m-“

“Juvia, the rainwoman,” Akira said, interrupting the woman. “I know who you are; after that fiasco with Phantom Lord I decided to research you all.” She didn’t add that she’d done it purely because she wanted to know her technical older brother more. That would have been too embarrassing to admit, even to Lucy and Juvia.

“Akira,” Lucy said in a wondering tone, “do you know how to dry clothes with magic?”

Akira blinked. When she realized that Lucy was technically wearing nothing but a skirt and her bandana tied around her breasts, she choked for a second on her laughter. “Uh,” Akira managed to say, “better yet, Vertigo can repair your clothes if I ask her nicely.”

She grabbed her key. “Open, gate of the truth teller! Vertigo!”

Vertigo came out of nowhere. “Here to please you, Hime-sama,” Vertigo said.

Lucy frowned. “Are you related to Virgo?”

Vertigo placed her forefinger on her lips. “No idea what you are talking about,” Vertigo said, obviously lying.

Akira leaned towards Lucy.

“It can’t be acknowledged; Lucifer saved Vertigo from disappearing. She gave up her Celestial Spirit-y stuff. Originally, she and Virgo were the constellation Gemini with Azrael as the Maiden, but when Azrael and Vertigo left the new Gemini spirits appeared and Virgo became the Maiden. Vertigo isn’t allowed near the Celestial spirits.” Lucy’s eyes looked at Vertigo with sympathy. “At least, until I’m invited into the Celestial World which is definitely not going to happen, not unless something really bad happens up there and Lucifer is needed. The Celestial Spirit King and Lucifer…they hate each other’s guts.”

Vertigo was finished a few seconds later.

“Here’s a new bandana, Hime-sama the second,” Vertigo said, bowing. She vanished.

“Okay, so what do we do now?” Juvia questioned. Akira immediately turned serious.

“I have an idea, you two will hate it. Probably.”

“What does this idea consist of?” Lucy asked cautiously.

Akira looked at Lucy, deadly serious. “You want to help Natsu or go find this Jellal character and tell him the truth or do you want to stay here and be bored?”

Lucy hesitated. “I’ll go with you, but our magic-“ Lucy stopped talking, because Akira placed her hands on Lucy’s and Juvia’s shoulders.

The reason it was so dangerous to be a Conduit is that Conduits are female and literally cannot run out of magic power. While most Conduit children don’t know of their heritage unless they activate it, they have the traits of a Conduit. One thing that was quite common was their silver-white hair. The triplets and Lyra, while some getting their hair from their dragon parent, had to dye their hair more than once to hide the fact that they were Conduits.

As Conduit children grew older, their appearance is that of their parent for the most part. All Conduits were female; male Conduits had never existed, purely for the reason women were looked down upon and that women seemed to be a good source of balance. However, a lot of the lands that dotted Earthland executed Conduits by the order of the Magic Council because it released even more magic into the world that was practically overflowing. Conduits had been rare ever since.

One of the main talents for a Conduit is giving their already overflowing magic to other exhausted mages. On occasion the Magic Council had nabbed a live Conduit and forced them to do their bidding to help them further their goals.

When Juvia and Lucy-although still tired-felt the magic filling them up, it was a euphoric feeling.

“It’ll last for the rest of the day, but I can’t do that constantly,” Akira warned. “It’s meant for emergencies only.” Akira took a deep breath. “In order to get to Jellal undetected, I’m going to have to use Aza.”

Lucy nodded. She turned to Juvia. “Aza’s her demon self.”

Akira closed her eyes, and Aza surfaced. 

~:~

Aza breathed in a breath of fresh air.

“I haven’t been let out this often since Akira first had me implanted in her,” she purred. Then she saw the slightly uncomfortable looks they gave her. Aza sighed and grabbed their hands, moving so fast she was basically teleporting them.

She was actually flying, bat-like wings (that were slowly turning into black angelic wings) flapping behind her. Aza’s hair was naturally black, her eyes a piercing red. A scar over one eye showed that Aza wasn’t invulnerable. Her fingernails had grown and became a polished red, her clothes had been replaced with a dress that made her sexy curves show. Ballet flats had replaced the boots, and she had a necklace that showed her name-her ORIGINAL name-in her native tongue. 欲 望. It was inscribed on a simple emerald stone that faintly pulsed.

They arrived seconds later before Jellal himself. Aza deposited the two gently down on the ground, intent on stopping Jellal before he went too far. _I’m growing soft on these humans; I used to kill a couple a day and not break a sweat about it. But I must say, living in a world without these annoying scum would be quite boring,_ Aza thought to herself.

“Jellal Fernandes. I’ve heard of you; tales of this tower has reached the demon circles.” She smiled at him; her red lips showing off her slightly small fangs as well as the rest of her teeth. “But I’m afraid you’ve been misinformed about Master Zeref.”

Jellal looked intrigued. “Is that so?” he questioned lazily.

“Quite. You see, I sense nothing of my master, alive or dead, just that of a wizard who messes with time and manipulates you humans to get what she wants. Zeref is not a god, either.” Jellal laughed chillingly (or, if Aza had been fully human, she would have shivered at how chilling his laugh was. As it was, Aza thought Jellal’s laugh was nothing compared to her master’s).

“If he is your master, than Zeref is your god.”

“You mistake my meaning, Fernandes.” Akira’s red eyes narrowed. “I am a creation of Zeref and yes, he is my god, for he alone is the one I worship. But Zeref…well…Master Zeref is alive and very well indeed.”

Jellal’s robed head came up to stare at her. “You lie.”

Aza blinked at him. “I’m a demon, Jellal, of course I lie. But on this matter, I am incapable of it. My lord Zeref, my master, is alive. No I cannot tell you where. But if you sacrifice Erza Scarlet because she is an wizard with enough power to become a Wizard Saint, your priorities are skewed, idiotic, and quite frankly sickening.”

“You said a time wizard manipulated me? Prove it,” Jellal challenged.

“Gladly. Any who tries to harm my Master, whether intentionally or not, is on my hit list,” Aza pleasantly said, pressing her hands on Jellal’s temples.

~:~

One of Aza’s powers? To strip away false barriers, spells that hid the truth. While the symbol of Zeref was real, whoever was manipulating Jellal would be shown and the truth would appear. Of course, another one of Aza’s powers is putting up false barriers, but it’s not as if Acnologia herself would appear and say, ‘SHE IS A LIAR’. Since Aza was the only demon who was powerful enough to strip enchantments from memories, it served as a great weapon when she’d try to lure others to their deaths. She found the memory.

 _This is not my Master,_ she said to Jellal. _This is a creature distorted and…vile. Zeref is called the Darkest Mage ever to exist, yes, but he’s actually very handsome._

 ** _‘Can we just continue?_** ’ Jellal asked, conveying his irritation. _**‘Erza will probably be here soon.’**_ Aza’s eyes flashed, and that weak enchantment that had filled Jellal with such hate and evil vanished. There was a girl. _**‘Ultear.**_ ’

~:~

Magic Council HQ

“Are you willing to condemn your brother’s life?!” Yajima-san yelled, his granddaughter Cora right beside him, watching the Fairy Tail advocate with wide eyes. “It’s cruel!”

Siegrain and Ultear, two members of the council, looked at him with boredom. However, Siegrain’s eyes widened a fraction at that statement and he stood. “You are right, Yajima-san.” Ultear looked shocked. “I respectfully ask you, Ultear, to remain here while I go convince them to hurry up the Ethernano Blast.” Cora’s arm was taken by Siegrain. “I hope you don’t mind if I take this child with me, Yajima-san?” Yajima stared at the girl. Then he shook his head. Cora and Siegrain left the room. Then, after Siegrain had hurried a few hallways away from the library, Cora was yanked in front of him and her face burned from the close proximity she was from him. “Cora,” her face went even redder “go tell the council that this was all a major set-up by Ultear.”

Cora instantly paled. “Sir?”

“I don’t care how you do it,” he said firmly. “Tell them I have come to the realization that Ultear Milkovich has led me astray.” Siegrain saw the fear filling her face. “If you don’t do it, Cora, not only will Yajima die but your sisters, too.” Astonishment-and some leftover fear-was in her gaze as she and him stared at each other. Then she nodded and teleported into the Magic Council room, on her grandfather’s platform.

“Who are you?” the council leader yelled at Cora. Cora stood up straight.

“Members of the Magic Council, Councilman Siegrain has asked me to tell you this. Ultear Milkovich led him astray. If you fire the Ethernano Blast upon the Tower of Heaven, it will not only be completed, but Titania Erza Scarlet, Dragon Slayer Natsu Dragneel, Rainwoman Juvia Lockser, Celestial Wizard Lucy Heartfilia, Dragon Slayer Akirakaza Soliana as well as a few other mages inside the Tower will die.” There was a small silence.

“Aren’t they all from Fairy Tail?” asked one member.

Cora instantly fired back, “Are you really willing to kill the Soliana heir?”

“How did you come upon this information?” Another member asked. Cora lifted her head in defiance.

“I have an informant inside the Tower of Heaven.”

“And you never-“

“Warned you? No. Would you have listened to the granddaughter of Councilman Yajima-san if she had come forward sooner? No. Would you listen to Siegrain? You always do,” she responded smartly. “I can alert my informant to destroy the Tower of Heaven, but you cannot fire that blast.” Her glare was scarier than Aquarius’. “And I would suggest you arrest Councilwoman Milkovich before she can run away.”

There was a small silence, then the Grand Doma (leader of the Magic Council) nodded. “Is there anyone in specific you would like to have apprehend Councilwoman Milkovich?”

“Captain Lahar,” Cora responded immediately. She closed her eyes. “If that’s okay with you, sir,” she muttered.

“Very well. Lahar will apprehend Miss Milkovich. Miss Cora, I would suggest you tell your…informant…to leave the vicinity. Jellal Fernandes-“

“Jellal Fernandes was also led astray by Ultear. My twin was manipulated all his life. It would be wrong of me to not ask that you spare his. In return, I will willingly leave this Council,” Siegrain said, appearing.

“I vouch for Siegrain,” Yajima said loudly, right next to Cora.

The Grand Doma looked irritated. “Fine. Neither of you will have to give up your position. Just…get them out of there. We’ll blame this on Milkovich.”

~:~

Akira, now in her normal form, now sitting in Jellal’s former throne with Lucy squished next to her, felt a tingle. She stood up, freeing some space on the chair for Lucy to sit comfortably in. _Who is contacting me on this Conduit channel?_

_ M _ _y name is Cora. I’m the granddaughter of Yajima-san, who’s on the Magic Council. I simply wanted to ask you to destroy the Tower of Heaven. Oh, and I am a Conduit as well. That’s how I know to contact you through this channel. _

_Oh. Okay, we’ll destroy it._ Akira saw Erza dash in. “Hey, Erza! We just found out Jellal was being manipulated, so there’s no actual need for you to kill each other now!” Akira cheerfully called. “All we have to do…” she gave an unsettling smirk, “is DESTROY THE TOWER OF HEAVEN!!!! LET’S DO THIS!” 

Natsu, having just come up, groaned. “Now?” Akira sighed, then enveloped the room in magic. 

They soaked it in. “Next time,” Akira said, panting a little, “you will just do as I say.” Natsu nodded his head really fast. Akira took out a key she didn’t often use. “Open, gate of the destroyer! Abaddon!” A man with angel wings-like Azrael-appeared. 

“You called?” he asked, his voice sweet. Akira sweatdropped as he stared at Jellal with lust. 

“Yes, I did,” Akira replied. “Can you please help Natsu and Gray destroy this tower?” 

Abaddon looked over at Natsu and Gray, and his eyes popped. “Of course,” he practically purred. “Anything for you two.” The Tower of Heaven collapsed in under an hour, the refugees in the water. Abaddon had thrown Gray and Natsu out of its path, probably helping Happy (at least, that’s what Akira was hoping). Sure enough, Abaddon came out of the demon world with a distraught-looking Happy. “Here’s your cat, hunk,” he replied, still staring at Natsu. Akira sweatdropped as she forced the idiot’s gate closed. 

“Hey, Lucy, remember when Erza got that gate key from Galuna?” Akira had almost forgotten that Erza had refused any and all money; instead she’d gotten Lucy the golden gate key. 

“Yeah, it was Sagittarius, why?” 

“Because all of my Gold Infernal Keys-excluding Lucifer-is like a mimicry of the major constellations.” Akira looked down. “Abaddon and Azrael are the twins. Remember how they looked almost exactly alike?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Well, they switch on occasion, just so you know, in case you ever run into the Celestial Gemini. Maybe they’ll be the same.”

“Oh. Akira, are you still planning on leaving?” Lucy questioned.

Akira nodded. “I have to.” The rest of the ride was quiet.

~:~:~

 _Chikyū no doragon no hōkō_ : Earth Dragon’s Roar

 _Chikyū doragon no tsubasa no kōgeki_ : Earth Dragon’s Wing Attack 

 


	7. Triple Dragons and a Jerk

Akira felt the wind whip her hair as she used her inner homing beacon as she used her magic to fly. Spirit magic had its uses, one of them being able to summon wings. She flew fast, so fast she nearly broke the sound barrier.

She slowed down as she approached her sisters’ and cousins’ new home for the next couple of weeks.

“Guys?” she whispered as she perched on the sill.

The window opened.

“What took you so long?” questioned a grinning Selene.

“I flew,” replied Akira, slipping inside the window. “How long have you guys been waiting?”

“Three days, twenty-two hours, twenty-six minutes, forty-two seconds,” yawned a tired-looking Lyra. She rubbed her eyes. “I thought it would take you longer.”

“Well, I’m here,” Akira stated tiredly. “Can I go sleep?”

“Find your own room,” Selene muttered.

“Whatever,” Akira said, falling onto the couch. “Night, sisters.”

“Good night,” came everyone’s, except Al’s, voices.

“Oh, and Akira? Our cats left us.” Akira’s eyes, which had just closed, popped open. 

“WHAT?!”

“All but Extalia,” said Lyra. “They said that they journeyed with us this far because we’re good at feeding them.”

Akira felt a lump in her throat. “Oh,” she said in a small voice.

~:~

**Two Weeks Later, on a boat to Hargeon**

“We’re going home!” Cheered Akira.

“Yay,” an unenthusiastic Selene muttered. “Let’s have the authorities looking for the Narcot sisters!”

**The relatives, while on the island of Caelum, went by an alias each with the last name being ‘Narcot’ and ended up being Caelum’s most wanted thieves and property desecrators.**

“Not my fault Mizu wanted to steal Caelum’s most famed treasure,” Akira pointed out. “I never dreamed she’d do such a horrible thing, while slightly mutilating the rest of the building."

“Yeah, let’s just get to Fairy Tail. I really don’t want to explain everything to Master Makarov.”

~:~

**Outside the Fairy Tail Guild hall**

The cousins stared at the building in awe.

“Oh, my Kami,” Mizu said, her jaw open.

Akira leaned over and shut it.

She then pushed the doors open and saw that the guild was…

“Oh, my Kami,” Akira said, her mouth open in shock. Selene leaned over and shut it.

“Hey, guys!” Lucy called, making the guild look at them.

“Hey, girls,” leered Macao. Akira kicked him as she walked by him.

She stopped as she saw Gajeel crunching on metal.

“BIG BROTHER!” She yelled, launching herself at him. She hugged him, the entire guild staring at them.

“GET OFF!” Gajeel roared.

“BITE ME!” Akira roared back. Instantly, she was off of him and sitting next to him. “So,” she said ‘innocently’, “did Master Makarov let you in?”

“I have a Fairy Tail mark, don’t I?” Gajeel grumbled.

“Aw, don’t be like that, big brother,” Akira said, snatching a piece of Gajeel’s metal and eating it, causing a minor freak-out in others watching (“She can eat iron, too?”). “Come on, we’re family.”

Gajeel huffed and looked away. “Brat.”

Akira’s face went serious. “Gajeel.” Her voice was muted, but her eyes were... _knowing_. It was unnerving, to say the least. “Tell me what Makarov is asking you to do.”

Gajeel’s red eyes pierced hers. “I can’t,” he growled. “Now shove off.”

Unimpressed, Akira rolled her green ones. “Gajeel…whatever it is, I hope you know you can trust me. After all, we are technically siblings. And…you know a pretty big one of mine as well,” she added. She got up with a sunny smile. “Later, big bro!” She flashed him the peace sign and walked to Selene and the others.

“So, guys. Have a job we can do?” Mizu asked, staring at Gray. He looked very uncomfortable.

“Well, I’m entering the Miss Fairy Tail Contest,” Lucy responded.

Lyra’s eyes popped wide open. “We’ll do that!” Her tikis cheered her on, Extalia laughing a little at them.

Selene shrugged. “I don’t see a problem with that. Mizu?”

“I hope we get to see sexy hunks that make me freeze,” Mizu replied, licking her lips and staring at Gray, who had just taken off his shirt…again. “Akira?”

Lucy turned a concerned eye to Akira. She shook her head. “As long as it’s not a bikini. I can’t wear them.” 

“Why not?” Lucy asked. Selene pursed her lips.

“Actually, none of us can wear them,” Mizu said, finally removing her eyes from Gray (who looked relieved). Her voice was unusually cold. “That’s part of the reason we wear jackets over our clothes, even when it’s hot.”

“Akira showed me her brand when we were in the warehouse,” Lucy replied, not getting it.

“I had a glamour up,” Akira snapped. “I don’t want to be Miss Fairy Tail but I’ll join the damn contest! Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go piss off some poor guy.” Akira stormed away from the table.

“Lucy,” Selene said in a tone of warning, “never mention those brands when we have company!”

Lucy looked sad. “I’m sorry,” Lucy whispered.

Mizu waved Lucy’s sorrow away. “Eh. She’s just over sensitive because…well…she’s done a lot for us. Just don’t worry about it, Lucy, and worry about what you’re planning on doing for the contest.”

“Oh! Well, I was planning on…”

Selene tuned out their chatter as she looked down at her cup thoughtfully.

_How do you cheer up a miserable seventeen-year-old who just so happens to be one of your sisters?_

~:~

Turns out, cheering up your miserable seventeen year old was not easy. At all.

Akira fidgeted in her dress. She wore her signature jean jacket, making it her own style. She planned on singing a short song.

All of the girls (except Levy and Lucy, who drew some solid script and did cheers with her spirits respectively) changed their clothes into a new, stylish outfit.

Lyra had dazzled the crowd by making the crowd distracted with her tikis and quickly getting dressed into a gold ball gown. A necklace with her demon’s true name in their native language (嫌い [Hate]) had appeared on her neck. Her normal jacket created a unique persona-one that was beautiful and classy, yet totally chic.

Mizu had made nosebleeds appear when she’d sauntered out in a shirt and a bikini bottom, changing when her fire magic burned her clothes away. The dress had looked almost exactly like a real dragon. She’d done a few twists and twirls, making the dragon look as though it’d been moving.

Lily-Deliora’s true nature from before Zeref had made her into a demon with a monster and human form, and her true name-wore a blue dress with a tablet of the same color and her true name written on it (リリー[Lily]) in their native tongue made everyone sigh at the sweet and thoughtfulness of her flower gifts, which she'd chosen to craft out of wood and breath them to life, using the life force of the countless people she'd murdered (though…only Akira knew that. Lily picked up a different art after that, deciding to make magical containers that kept food good for a year after Akira had walked in on her making the last of the flowers she'd given to the people). It was an odd gift, but nobody except Gray knew what she'd done so Lily's gift was thoughtful.

Selene had been the biggest surprise, though. She’d mixed her sky dragon roar (as Selene had finally drummed into everyone’s skulls she was one of the only sky dragon slayers, not air dragon slayers), which was commonly known as her ‘Sukaidoragon hōkō’ art, with her Light Magic punch, causing a stream of every color to envelop the entire guild.

Finally, Akira walked out and everyone quieted as she, instead of showing off her special magic, took out a guitar.

Before she could speak, though, a cold voice broke through.

“Come on, we all know who the true Queen of the Fairies is.” A woman hiding behind a fan said. “It’s me, Evergreen!”

Akira sighed. She was tired and honestly just wanted to curl up in her sweats when she got home.

“It’s your stage, then,” Akira muttered. She promptly sat down on the edge of the stage. “Please, enlighten us with your oh-so-beautiful presence.”

Evergreen shot Akira a dirty look.

Several tikis came down, someone standing on top of them. With a start, she realized that those tikis were nothing like Lyra’s tiki dolls.

“Is someone trying to take my spot as a Seith mage? I swore I saw some floating around here,” laughed the guy. “Not that anyone could, really. I bet they aren’t as cool as I am!” His tongue lolled out, showing his Fairy Tail insignia.

Angry that someone would even try to badmouth Lyra, Akira stood up.

“Don’t you dare badmouth my cousin, you class A jerk,” she hissed. Aza tried to rise to the surface, but Akira fought her literal demon down.

“Now, now,” a softer voice said. “No need to get violent-right now, that is.” A green haired man appeared.

“What is this, Gang Up On Akira Day? Well, gee, I love the fact you put so much thought into it,” snapped Akira. Evergreen huffed.

“Oh, shut up.” Akira turned to her, outraged, but instead got met by Evergreen’s Stone Eyes.

~:~

Akira heard everything. Her natural element was Earth, although in reality she was compatible with just about every element (like her sisters). However, she knew she wasn’t completely invulnerable in her own element, just that she could break out quite easily.

When she did, Master Makarov, Natsu, and Gajeel were all standing at the entrance. Akira stormed towards them, intent on finding Laxus and _killing_ him.

“Akira! You’re alive!” Makarov said. “Please, go stop my-“

Akira hit the barrier.

“Are you over eighty?!” Makarov demanded. Akira paled.

“No, no, no!” she yelled. She slid down the barrier. “By myself…no. I’m not over eighty.” She looked up at Makarov’s curious face. “However…I have a being inside of me that’s almost four hundred years old.”

_And, if I was eighty, I’d still look this young…Holy Kami, I’m going to look this good when I’m eighty!_

Makarov looked a little shocked.

Akira shrugged. “Can’t complain, exactly. She’s saved my life before.” _Once, actually. As did Poison, so I suppose I have to be grateful._

“You said you have a demon inside you,” Natsu accused, pointing a finger at her.

“It’s not a literal-“ Gajeel began, but Akira cut him off.

“Actually, she’s real. Very real. I kind of scared the crap out of Jellal Fernandes with her. If only I’d paid attention to Levy when she was explaining runes to me the other day,” Akira mused.

“Where is your demon from?” Happy asked.

_You really forgot? Lovely._

“The Book of Zeref,” she replied as if she were commenting on the weather. “She’s not like Lily, though. She didn’t massacre thousands of human beings.” _No, somewhere in the high 900s. Not counting the people I accidentally killed_. “More like hundreds."

“And that makes it okay?” Makarov asked.

“No, Master,” Akira said, looking down at the master. “But neither one of us can help it right now. She’s permanently stuck in my soul.” Akira said that like it was no big deal. “I don’t mind anymore, anyway. It’s no use worrying about crap like that. She seldom goes against my wishes, probably because I let her breathe when nothing important is going on.” _Or when I black out because she’s saving my life, though that’s happened…let me see._ _Once._

“Are you certain you can trust her?” Makarov finally asked. 

Akira looked at her guild master with eyes far older than they should be.

“Master, I am confident in Azakarika. She is bound to my soul in such a way that if I die, she dies. I am her host, and as such we keep few secrets. I know what she has done, she knows what I have done.”

“You say that as if it’s terrible,” Gajeel noted.

Akira growled at him. “I’d rather not talk about it, not now. I’d rather just...I’m going to get some sleep,” she said, walking towards the infirmary.

“Where are you going? That’s the infirmary!” Happy called.

Akira gave him and the other three a one-fingered salute.

~:~

Akira dreamt about her life before everything got so twisted.

When she had her dragon mother.

_“Mama, I want to go play with Selene and Mizu by ourselves, without a maid. I promise we’ll stay on the property,” Five-year-old Akira said. Of course, Akira was lying. The children had a habit of disappearing weeks on end but always returning with a fascinating tale or two. Lady Soliana wouldn’t be surprised if they vanished yet again._

_Lady Soliana sighed. “Go ahead, little ones,” she said, smiling at them._

_The Soliana heirs cheered as they walked daintily to the door, then slipped out and giggled at being ‘sneaky’. Lyra Fierce stood outside, Lyra being their shy cousin._

_“Lucy couldn’t make it?” Akira asked disappointedly._

_“No, Auntie Layla’s sick with the flu or something. I don’t know what. Let’s explore the woods today!” Lyra said, and Selene bit her lip._

_“But Mommy said-“_

_“Come on, Selinia!” Akira laughed. “Live a little! You too, Mizuza! Let’s explore!” The four children did just that._

_~:~_

_They found the dragons that same day. All four of them had also been Awakened as Conduits as babies, so it was difficult to hide their magical levels when they were scared._

_Akira, exhausted and frightened of the dark forest, stumbled into a giant wall…that moved!_

_Selene (or Selinia as she was known to most) watched in awe as the most mystical and magical of creatures turned their collective attention onto the four humans who’d stumbled upon them._

_“Wow,” Akira breathed._

_The four gazed at the dragons with reverence and awe._

_“They’re big,” Selene whispered, unconsciously edging closer to Akira._

_“Amazing!” Akira said, as she saw all of the dragons. Including one that seemed to be made of stars. “And pretty…”_

~:~

Akira was shaken awake. “I’m up,” she yelled, standing up stiffly.

“You can go now, Levy erased the runes keeping everyone in here.”

“NOT EVERYONE!” Came Lyra’s enraged scream.

Akira sighed, an irk mark appearing. “Did Levy happen to take the one restricting 80 year olds and over down?” she questioned through gritted teeth.

~:~

Akira sighed for the seventh time.

“DONE!” Levy shouted. Akira raced forward and left the guild hall.

“FREEDOM TO FIGHT!” Akira chanted, racing towards…the cathedral.

Aza had pointed that out to her with logic.

_If Laxus isn’t hurt by lightning, he’d still protect himself. Ergo, Kardia Cathedral seems most likely, seeing as it is made of stone and such._

She’d acknowledged the demon’s very well, thought out reasoning. She entered the cathedral to see Natsu in danger.

She sped towards him and yanked him out of the way, a little lightning zapping her a bit.

Gajeel jumped up on the rafters next to her.

“That’s not very nice,” Akira said, smirking at Laxus maliciously. “Lucky for him I caught him before he turned into ash.”

Laxus’ eyes narrowed at the female dragon slayer.

She and Gajeel jumped off the rafters. She bent her knees and relaxed at the last second, making sure not to tense up.

She dropped Natsu on the ground. “Ready to pound his face into the dirt?” Akira asked Gajeel and Natsu.

“I thought you said there wasn’t room in the sky for two dragons,” Natsu growled at Gajeel. Akira raised an eyebrow.

“Did you really say that, Gajeel?”

“Nobody’s flying,” Gajeel pointed out.

Akira nodded. “There is that.”

“Let’s pound his face in,” Natsu growled. Akira smirked.

“Chikyū doragon doraibu!” Akira felt scales form around her body. Her scars were invisible, but she could no longer feel her jacket rubbing against them. Her canines-already a little longer because of Aza’s nature (and it seemed they’d started staying after Aza left her)-lengthened a little more, an appropriate length for a dragon slayer. She could only go into this form without killing her dragon parent because of her Conduit status. Her hair was in a braid (using a piece from Erza’s Lightning Empress Armor), and only two locks of hair framed her face. Her pupils were draconic and vertically slitted.

“Let’s kick his ass,” Gajeel said, grinning as he prepared to fight.

~:~

Laxus, at that moment, hated the fact he had to fight a girl.

He wasn’t sexist (not by a long shot). But this girl-this _dragon slayer_ -looked really, really hot in that moment. He just didn’t want to hurt one of the sexiest females he’d ever seen. Okay. Scratch that. She seemed to be the sexiest woman he’d ever set his eyes on.

But she seemed to relish in fighting, like she relished kicking others’ asses.

He blinked, shaking the thoughts of how she looked out of his mind. He had a plan, and damn it, he was going to go through with it.

Even if it killed him.

Which, at the moment, was very likely as all three of the first generation dragon slayers-in unison-started attacking.

Laxus prepared for the assault.

~:~

_Chikyū doragon doraibu- Earth Dragon Drive_

 

 

 

 

 

 


	8. Fighting Laxus

Earth dragons, ordinarily, weren’t violent creatures.

They were more offensive, peace-loving dragons.

Terra (the dragon) had a brother who knew a spell (and taught Terra) to strip others of their dignity. More accurately, it was a side-effect of his roar.

Or, in other words, his roar stripped people of their clothes.

Embarrassingly, Terra had done it a few times so Akira knew how much magic to put into a roar so that the earth roar did _not_ strip others of their clothes.

It was a weaker roar than her own, so if she moderated her magic, she’d end up disintegrating her opponent’s clothes.

And while funny when it was done to someone else, Akira had learned Selene would hit her if she ever used it-even against a dark mage (Mizu, however, didn’t really care, seeing as she stared at anyone’s body if they were hot enough [not the heat kind]. The irony was that the hottest person in the guild to her was Gray. An _ice_ mage!).

Akira never wasted magic. Not even if she _was_ a Conduit. It wasn’t in her nature. Sure, she wouldn’t run out of magic, but she could faint from exhaustion from using too much. She liked to solve things with her fists, but sometimes used her dragon mother’s advice that fleeing was sometimes considered the best thing to do.

She decided to do something risky and use one of her other dragon roars. It was weaker than her normal element and was Lyra’s best element, but hey. When life gives you lemons, what do you do? Well…normally Akira would ask for oranges since she hated lemons, but she wasn’t allergic, so…she’d take them.

“Suirō no hōkō!” Akira roared, water rushing out of her mouth at Laxus. It hit him with considerably less force than her normal roar.

“Tetsu doragon no hōkō!” Gajeel roared, iron rushing at Laxus from his mouth. Honestly, to Akira, it looked like liquid iron.

“Karyūnohōkō!” Natsu roared. Fire blazed out of his mouth in a circular motion similar to Akira’s and Gajeel’s. Akira switched elements, going back to her beloved earth dragon magic and using her dragon’s version of an iron fist.

“Chikyū no doragon no tetsu no ken!” Akira yelled, her fist having a greenish color to it. Unlike Natsu, when flame covered his hand when using his iron fist move, Akira’s hand wasn’t covered with earth; it was given rock-like qualities that made it stronger and virtually unbreakable (there was one time Akira’s ‘rock fist’ broke [it was during the triplets’ and  twins’ (Al and Lyra were twins) time in Caelum], but that was actually because the mage Akira battled was actually solid rock. Mizu ended up melting the rock and they all realized it was cursed, but that’s a story for another time). She was able to hit Laxus once before being zapped with lightning and thrown back.

“Tetsu doragon no kurabu!” A club formed from metal appeared and hit Laxus while Natsu punched him with his fist.

“Hiryū no tetsu no ken!” Natsu punched Laxus, but was thrown back like Akira.

“We should all use our roars!” Gajeel yelled. “He’s not even scratched!”

Akira fought a snarl back.

**_Aza! Some information would be nice!_ **

_HE’S A SECOND GENERATION DRAGON SLAYER, YOU DUMBASS!_

Akira was confused.

**_Oh…you know what? I have no idea what a second generation dragon slayer is, so…_ **

Akira felt Azakarika’s irritation.

_They’re like you, I guess. A lacrima was implanted in them-one that held a dragon’s power. Since Laxus is a LIGHTNING user, he’d be considered Adtonitus’ pupil, but seeing as Adtonitus didn’t have a student-excluding you and the other Conduits, briefly-_

**_How’d you know that?_** Akira wondered. She always secretly wondered just how Aza knew about her.

_I’m entangled in your soul, foolish human! Anyway, all dragons sometimes put their excess magics into lacrima for later use. Not all dragons are elemental; a rare few used biological magics that weren’t introduced until later._

**_Like poison?_ **

_Right, but I think the Poison dragon put his magic in a lacrima and threw the lacrima away in flight. Don’t know much more about that; I was only in a lacrima myself and heard whispers. Of course, there was that poison dragon you met in the Dragon Realm, which could’ve been the one who did that. Anyway, Laxus is about to reveal his power!_

Akira blinked, then focused back on the fight.

Laxus roared and grew; Akira’s eyes widened comically when she saw how fit and how muscular that guy really was.

**_Yummy…_ **

_FOCUS ON THE FIGHT, YOU INCOMPETANT IDIOT!_

Right. Akira once again focused as Laxus used his roar.

“Rairyū no hōkō!” Lightning crackled everywhere. Akira yelped and used a hidden move; one she’d never quite liked.

“Chikyū no doragon no himitsu no geijutsu: Kamereon!” Akira blended in and took on the aspects of her surroundings.

Fleeing was one thing. Hiding was another. Akira hated to use this move, as she literally turned to whatever was around her, taking on her surroundings’ characteristics.

She could still move as easily as possible, but earth dragons used this as a desperate measure to stop others from trying anything. Terra had once told Akira hiding wasn’t cowardly; it was actually quite clever. Dragons who could use the secret art could literally hide in plain sight. Akira, however, still thought it was a coward’s art.

The lightning hit her, but-although it hurt-it passed over her and flowed elsewhere.

Akira gritted her teeth and waited the shockwaves out.

Akira looked over to see both Natsu and Gajeel…paralyzed.

She tried to move and was very successful. Training with the dragons in the Dragon Realm (three months in that realm was a day; though the dragons couldn’t leave their human charges on their own forever, they could only train the Conduits in the Dragon Realm because the Magic Council still monitored large magical flares in case of Conduits existing) had definitely paid off.

She was still in her chameleon form, so she effortlessly moved around to try to hit Laxus with a sneak attack.

He intercepted her normal fist and her chameleon form broke. She was thrown down, paralyzing lightning running up and down her body. She was also definitely seeing stars.

Laxus’ magical output increased. Magic seemed to flow everywhere. Akira’s Conduit energy seemed to want to flow… _so badly did she want to release her magic._ She didn’t dare. It was wrong.

It was wrong, too, to put her family’s and friends’ lives in danger by telling them.

If Laxus was going to use the magic she thought he was…then she would die happily. Her residue, her magical residue, would take out anyone near her in a fifty mile radius.

If she died, so would Laxus...

She was probably going to die for her hate-filled thoughts, too.

“LAXUS, STOP! PLEASE! GO AND SEE YOUR GRANDFATHER ONE LAST TIME!”

Akira’s heart seemed to stop.

Makarov…was going to die?

~:~

Aza cursed the stupidity of humans before. Now? She still cursed them, but it was more…fondly. She’d seen the preciousness of human life; she wasn’t about to let her host die.

She was definitely still pissed, though, that her host thought so little of herself that she’d die just to take out Laxus.

When she heard the master of her host’s guild was on his deathbed, Aza panicked. She wasn’t a cruel, heartless demon nowadays; she’d seen the atrocities humans committed in others’ name. At one time, she’d requested it when she was young and foolish herself.

So she tried to act, to stop Laxus. She didn’t even dare reveal her demonic self.

“I’ll rebuild the guild from scratch! Fairy Tail will be so strong nobody will dare challenge me! And with Makarov gone, it’ll be even better!”

Aza shouted, right as he was about to bellow ‘Fairy Law’, “You’re wrong, Laxus Dreyar!”

He stopped.

“How am I wrong?” he snarled.

Aza glanced at him with pain-filled eyes.

“Because Fairy Tail is about family! Nakama! Family doesn’t end with blood!” Aza stared at him. She knew Akira was truly in charge; but Aza used Akira’s eyes. They both, together, looked at him in the face. “Family doesn’t automatically mean you’re blood related, Laxus. It means that when one is mourning, we all mourn! When one cries, we all cry! When one laughs, we all laugh! We may have our secrets, but Fairy Tail…it’s not only a home for those who don’t have none. It’s a place to be a family.”

Laxus stared at the two, one a demon and hidden beneath the skin, with an unreadable expression.

“Who cares?” he finally asked. Fairy Law restarted, and he used it.

“FAIRY LAW!”

A bright light cascaded over the town of Magnolia.

~:~

Aza blinked for a second.

She-and her host-was still in the cathedral.

Did she really die and go to hell? If she did, hell wasn't that different from inside Kardia Cathedral.

“Why didn’t it work?” Laxus growled.

“Maybe your magic is faulty?” Aza suggested snidely, then gritted her teeth as the lightning hit her again.

“It should have worked!”

“Your heart betrays you.” Everyone (excluding the still-being-zapped Aza) turned to see the speaker. Freed’s disheveled appearance obviously startled Natsu. “While you thought Fairy Tail was your enemy…your heart-and magic-shows your true feelings. Stop this now, Laxus, and say goodbye to your grandfather while he still lives.” Freed’s tone was sad.

“No! That’s not true!”

Despite the pain, Aza was able to stand up and finally let Akira have the reins again.

~:~

Akira marched over to him and slapped him across the face.

“You, Laxus Dreyar, are an idiot with a superiority complex. You’ll never inherit the guild. If Master Makarov drops dead right now, I can assure you I won’t follow you. Ever.” Her scales were still there. Her jacket was a little ripped, but other than that, there was nothing wrong with Akira.

Laxus snarled and lightning covered his body.

He zapped Akira and threw her upwards, her crashing through the ceiling.

“Why, you little-!” Akira used her magic to boost her speed a little to get back inside the cathedral, but Natsu and Laxus appeared and began fighting it out.

Laxus threw him back and followed it with a blast of concentrated lightning. Gajeel, unable to do much of anything since he was hurt severely (seeing as iron was a conductive metal and probably hurt him more than Akira or Aza, or even Natsu), was only able to watch.

Laxus used a spell Akira wouldn’t have dared use-it required a lot of magic and could even _kill._

“Raitoningudoragon no ten harubādo!”

“No! Laxus, it will kill him!” Freed yelled.

Akira made a quick decision. If she died, hopefully Natsu and the rest of Fairy Tail had the decency to run before her magical residue exploded.

She landed directly in front of Natsu, taking the hit meant for him head on.

An agonized scream erupted from her as it hit her.

~:~

Lyra froze as she heard a scream echo in her mind. Aza’s link with Poison still hummed, but it faltered for a second before humming again. Lyra-along with the other female dragon slayers-had all gotten electrocuted by the Body Link magic placed upon Laxus’ Thunder Palace as they’d taken it down.

In that second, Lyra panicked. Then, when the link reactivated, Aza’s weak, but alive ( _thank Kami,_ Lyra thought) mental voice came through.

‘We’re still alive.’

~:~

When the smoke cleared, Akira’s electrified body lay there. Thankfully, she still breathed (as Freed came and gently picked the smoking girl’s body up and checked it whilst flying back down), but he was shocked that Akira had actually taken a chance that she’d die to save Natsu.

Not that he wanted Natsu dead or anything.

“Is she okay?” Gajeel asked, showing definite concern. He limped over to the girl and grabbed her. Gajeel slapped her across the face a couple of times, making Freed go wide-eyed, but was actually successful in waking her up.

“Ow,” Akira groaned. “I feel like I got hit with a ball of lightning.”

“You did,” Gajeel answered roughly. He tossed the girl over his shoulder. “I’m going back to the guild. You coming, shrimp?”

Levy cast an anxious look at the roof of Kardia Cathedral.

“Yeah, sure.”

~:~

Laxus lay on the roof of the cathedral, defeated by Natsu.

He probably should have seen this coming.

There was no way the hotheaded idiot would’ve won-not with his best move.

If that girl hadn’t moved in the way…he would have won. Natsu would be gone…

His thoughts came to a screeching halt.

_I shouldn’t have done this._

That thought repeated endlessly in his head.

_I shouldn’t have done this._

There was nothing left to do now but move forward. And since he’d failed to take over the guild, he really needed to rethink his goals.

As everyone moved away, he thought of what that girl had said.

_Family doesn’t end with blood._

~:~

Translations:

**_If not specified what language the translations are in, assume it’s Japanese. If it’s not, it will be specified in parenthesis ( ) after the English translation. By the way, I used Google Translate so please forgive me if I am incorrect in the non-English translation._ **

_Suirō no hōkō- water dragon’s roar_

_Tetsu doragon no hōkō- iron dragon’s roar_

_Karyūnohōkō- fire dragon’s roar_

_Chikyū no doragon no tetsu no ken- earth_ _dragon’s iron fist_

_Tetsu doragon no kurabu- iron dragon’s club_

_Hiryū no tetsu no ken- fire dragon’s iron fist_

_Adtonitus- lightning (Latin)_

_Rairyū no hōkō- lightning dragon’s roar_

_Chikyū no doragon no himitsu no geijutsu- Kamereon- Earth dragon's Secret Art: chameleon_

_Raitoningudoragon no ten harubādo- Lightning dragon’s heavenward halberd_


	9. The Scars, Part 1

**X772, the Clearing**

_“Metalicana. It has been a long while,” Terra said, her deep voice vibrating through the air. Her mate looked away, though through their bond Terra could feel his affection._

_“Indeed, Terra. Have you found one to train?” Metalicana knew the answer. He always asked._

_“I have a feeling something will happen at this council of dragons,” was her mysterious reply. “Zirconis has fled for some reason, so he won’t be taking a child in. I hope to take a Conduit in, actually.”_

_Igneel snorted, fire escaping him. “I don’t think another Conduit should learn dragon slaying. Females are always so violent.”_

_Grandine was next to him in a flash as she looked at her mate. “What was that?” Her normally sweet voice was slightly poisonous._

_“Nothing, my love,” Igneel replied meekly and submissively. The normally sweet-tempered Grandine was probably angry because her new human was young and an unawakened Conduit. Or because most male dragons underestimated female dragons (and female humans). Probably both._

_Grandine snorted, a gust of wind escaping from her. “Wendy is a Conduit who likes to learn. Perhaps **your** child should be more eager to learn human things like her.”_

_Metalicana showed his teeth. “I am not certain that any dragon slayer should learn…human things.”_

_“From your stories, Igneel, and when I visit Gajeel, both dragon slayers are fierce and stubborn…just like that of us dragons.” Terra turned to face the dragons in the enchanted meadow. “However, your refusal to teach Wendy Conduit magic, Grandine, may yet be the end of us. Most dragons hide now in our little pockets of the Dragon Realm. Only Conduits can come, unfortunately.”_

_Grandine growled a little. “I refuse to teach my daughter about Conduits because it is not yet time for her to know! If she was awakened, that would be another matter entirely. Zirconis should be here, Terra, so why is he not?”_

_Terra snarled at Grandine. Grandine was also her sister, though in terms of humans Grandine was her half-sister._

_“Zirconis has fled, like I told Metalicana,” she snarled. The dragons began to bicker amongst themselves._

_Celeste, Draco, Aqua, and Terra herself began a conversation._

_“Celeste, any Celestial wizards you are taking on as your child?” Terra inquired._

_“Just one, though she does not realize that I am actually a dragon,” Celeste confessed. “The Spirit King assures me that the Heartfilia girl is apt enough to be a Celestial Dragon Slayer. However, teaching her is difficult as I have to use my **human** form.” Celeste’s tone conveyed the usual general disgust at using their human form magic. “She, too, is an unawakened Conduit. I fear for her.”_

_“If she is able to find-or, however unlikely-given Lucifer’s key, I will gladly teach her all she needs to know,” Draco the celestial dragon rumbled. “Not only am I a dragon, but I **am** the dragon constellation.” His smug tone caused Terra to lose all faith that Draco was a competent teacher._

_“I think you are an idiot, Draco,” was what she settled for._

_Aqua, the water dragon, laughed a little._

_“I find this conversation amusing. However, Draco, I pity that you have to stick with Aquarius.” Aqua blinked innocently as Draco snorted at her words. “Even as my mentor, Aquarius was a little…overbearing.” Her tone made it seem like she meant something much worse._

_“Perhaps. But let us adjourn; this council must come to a resolution on what to do.”_

_The dragons outlined the meadow. Quite an array of dragons; Terra herself was a little astonished that the dragons that were left still existed._

_Before there was any talk, a rustle came from Terra’s side and something bumped into her. The dragon moved carefully, and four almost identical humans stood there, all with the shimmery, silver hair of an awakened Conduit, but one had an eye patch on, over her eye, with little wooden faces following her._

_“Wow,” one of the humans said. Terra had spent enough time in a humanoid form to pick up the language._

_“They’re big,” another one said, moving towards the first speaker._

_“Amazing!” The first speaker said, and her gaze moved towards Celeste, “and pretty!”_

_Terra felt irrational anger at the Celestial dragon._

~:~

Akira hurt.

Really, really bad.

It was a focused pain on her chest, but as she thought about it, it began to dull.

It still hurt, though.

She peeled her eyes open and felt a stab of pain. She closed them again, then reopened them.

She moved her head cautiously, and saw a familiar jacket on a familiar form. Not pausing to think, she asked, her throat raw and voice hoarse, “You okay?”

Laxus whirled around.

“Fine,” he said, though it lacked any anger. “What about you?” he asked almost hesitantly.

Akira eyed him curiously, but decided to be blunt about it. “I feel like Adtonitus roared and hit me point blank. Repeatedly.” At his curious look, she smirked. “The dragon of lightning. He’s a real pain in the ass.” Laxus’ mouth twitched. “But other than that? I’m fine! No hard feelings if I can have a glass of water.”

Laxus didn’t smile, but carefully handed her the water. He looked a little sad.

“Is the master okay?” she asked, and Laxus nodded.

“He’s okay, just sleeping.” Laxus cocked his head. “You’ve met more than your mother dragon?”

Akira smiled in fond remembrance.

“I met the whole council of dragons.” She remembered that sweet meeting. “One dragon represented each element. Oh, and they aren’t just for each element. Like Adtonitus, there were others who didn’t use the elements as their source.”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing,” Laxus pointed out.

Akira shrugged indifferently.

“Not really. In order for there to bring peace, there must be a dragon of practically everything.” A sudden thought occurred to her and she frowned. “Excluding housecleaning. Wait!” She sat up, ignoring the sudden bout of pain. “There wasn’t a dragon of housecleaning! There will no longer be any balance! I must go find Mother to tell her!”

She spotted Laxus actually smiling and decided to go one step further.

“Nor is there a dragon of cleanliness! Oh, my Kami, the world will fall! If there is no cleanliness dragon, there’s no hope!”

Laxus chuckled a little.

“Is there a Celestial dragon?” Laxus questioned after Akira lay back down comfortably.

“Two, actually,” Akira stated seriously. “One _is_ a Celestial spirit. His name is Draco, and he’s mean. Celeste, the actual non-spirit dragon, is his biological daughter and was taught by him. She’s actually quite nice. Lyra’s dragon, Aqua, was taught by Aquarius, Lucy’s spirit, because Aqua’s mom died. My mother’s sibling, Zirconis, knew a few spells that he taught her…” she trailed off as she suddenly went pink.

“Did she teach you something…sexy?” Laxus wondered. Akira snorted, but went redder all the same.

“You don’t want to know.”

Laxus leaned closer.

“Maybe I do,” he whispered. Akira went as red as a fire engine at the man’s physical presence…and, remembering his physical, _shirtless_ exertion earlier, felt blood coming out of her nose.

She reached over to the conveniently placed tissues and placed it on her nose.

“…she taught me how to dragon roar someone’s clothes off.”

Laxus guffawed.

She hit the man’s shoulder.

“It’s not funny!” she squeaked.

Suddenly, both heard a quiet chuckle and Laxus’ laughter stopped.

Both turned to see Master Makarov’s eyes dancing merrily.

“You two,” he said, smiling at the red and bloody Akira and the now stone-faced Laxus. “You two should just kiss already.”

Akira and Laxus looked at each other with horrified expressions.

“Ew!” Akira whisper-yelled.

“Is kissing Laxus that despicable?” Makarov frowned.

Akira went red.

“N-no,” she stuttered. “What I m-meant was that…” words failed her.

“She’s probably never been kissed before, Gramps,” Laxus gruffly said.

Akira put a pillow over her head.

“My humiliation is complete,” she groaned. “Anyway, I should let you two-“

“No,” Makarov cut in. “You should stay and rest. Just do your best not to interrupt, Akira.”

Akira bit her lip and looked the other way.

~:~

Akira felt tears cascading down her face as Laxus left the infirmary. He’d been excommunicated until he could find himself again…or whatever it was he needed to do.

She was discharged after that, using her secret chameleon art to slip out unnoticed.

She followed Laxus’ scent to the big tree where Gajeel had crucified her and Team Shadowgear, and was aided by the grass (which startled everyone), which grew until she could safely leap to the tree’s branches. She dismissed her secret form after that.

She listened in and sniffed as Laxus said a good-bye to his team.

She said, in a low voice, in the tongue of the dragons (which he didn’t know he knew), _“I wish you luck on your travels, Laxus Dreyar, and hope you come back safe and sound. Know that I rarely hold grudges, and for what you did, I hold nothing against you. Goodbye.”_

He looked back to meet her eyes. She held his eyes as she turned back into a chameleon.

He left.

~:~

Akira was on the last float with the master, holding her guitar. She was singing a song she’d heard before, a couple other musicians helping her.

Apparently Erza’s old friends (except Jellal) joined Mermaid’s Heel and Quatro Cerberus (a women’s guild and an almost all-men’s guild respectively). Jellal himself joined Fairy Tail, but apparently hid from Akira and her sisters the entire time they were there. He wasn’t in the parade, of course. Siegrain himself had appeared to give his support to Fairy Tail, and Akira had asked him to thank Cora for her.

Siegrain had stared at her, looking frightened of her, before nodding.

Now, she and her fellow musicians began.

_ (watch it on YouTube if you want the actual song playing. It’s the 16th opening of Fairy Tail. No English translation-I couldn’t find it, and just imagine it being sung in a female voice) _

_Strike back_

_Kidou sura kae rarenai kurai no kakuritsuda to shite mo_

_Ichi paasento demo areba mo chiron teikou desho_

_Shosen unmei to nagetsuke raretatte no I won't_

_Hikkurikaeshite because datte kimi to mirai wo miretara saikou janai_

_Bring it on 'cause I'm just gonna grow up in the battle hey_

_Buchi nuku donten still burning my fire ten wo kirisaku raimei_

_I gotta kakikesu nightmare tada mirai ga mitakute_

_Kako mirai soshite iki teru ima_

_I ain't scared of my past and now for taku sa reta asu_

_Screaming out for my pride_

_Namida mitakunai kara sakebi tsuzukeru yo zutto_

_I'm never falling down oi kaze wo se ni fukitobasu destiny_

_Kono senaka ni aru egao mamoritai kara zutto_

_I gotta blast off your pain for you and me kanashimi nante rest in peace_

_Nando demo_

_Kioku nai no hashikkono demo tsuurai to kabe o tataite mo_

_Nan paasento demo boku wa mo fukuri kaeranai darou_

_Riesei no rain furi dashittate all I know mayo wanai sa_

_Because datte kimi to kanaetai yume ga mirai ni arukara_

_Akatsuki matotte hangekida soldiers follow me now_

_Don’t you ever stop we pay it back in spades right_

_Amanojakuna kankaku o play back ureinaku ikiru no sa kono setsuna_

_Struggle sorrow they’ll disappear like bubbles but dare mo kesenai mune no naka no candle_

_Screaming out for your pride_

_Kokoro o moyashite terashi tsudzukeru yo zutto_

_Nobody can blow out my fire kesenai koeru haiiro no sekai_

_Mayowanai youni miushinawanai youni zutto_

_Don’t blind your eyes if you’re lost on the way kamawanai I’m gonna be your light (So take my hands)_

_We gotta stand up and go with the pride_

_It’s like the sun rising way over the clouds_

_We gotta stand up and go with the pride_

_It’s like the sun rising way over the clouds_

_Namida mitakunai kara sakebi tsudzukeru yo zutto_

_I’m never falling down oikaze o se ni fukitobasu destiny_

_Kono senaka ni aru egao mamoritaikara zutto_

_I gotta blast off your pain for you and me kanashimi nante rest in peace_

_Kokoro o moyashite terashi tsudzukeru yo zutto_

_Nobody can blow out my fire kesenai koeru haiiro no sekai_

_Mayowanai youni miushinawanai youni zutto_

_Don’t blind your eyes if you’re lost on the way kamawanai I’m gonna be your light_

_So take my hand!_

~:~

After she was finished singing, she stood (she had remarkably good singing sitting down, though nothing like her friend/Conduit sister Lyric), bowed, and thrust her hand up in the Fairy Tail sign. Her chest was bandaged, but compared to her other scars and wounds over the years…Laxus’ lightning was nothing. Zip. Nada.

She was hurt, yes. But…she understood Laxus after she and the master had talked. It’d made a lot more sense then.

**_Wherever you are, Laxus…I hope you can see this._ **

She smiled. She was definitely proud to be a member of Fairy Tail.

~:~

“I. Hurt. Everywhere,” moaned Akira. She collapsed on Lucy’s couch.

Lucy smirked at her cousin.

Lucy still couldn’t believe it that they were actually there. After wondering for so many years…her Fairy Tail family and her actual blood family was here.

“I thought you wanted to see your mother,” Lucy said, frowning a little.

Akira shrugged. “Eh. I’m not too fond of my mother.” Lucy frowned even more.

“I thought you and your mother were on civil terms…at least, the last time I saw you, you were,” she added. Akira’s mouth turned into a bitter smile.

“When we went on that vacation to Pergrande Kingdom, we never made it there.” Akira’s eyes were distant. “We ended up in Enca after our boat was shoved way off course. The boat held until we reached Enca’s port. It fell apart-literally-and we were stuck with the kids on the boat.” Akira’s eyes turned to look at the ground. “You could say that Mother and I had an argument about using our magic to help the children out-the argument caught the attention of a nearby sailboat. We were picked up and set ashore.” Akira’s eyes flicked to Lucy’s. “It was because the people in the rowboat heard Mother screaming at us to use our unique magic to help these kids and therefore her fault that we were kidnapped, tortured, and tormented.” Akira sighed. “But that’s in the past now.”

Lucy understood. After her kidnapping, Akira wanted absolutely _nothing_ to do with her parents.

“Do you want to see them?” Akira asked suddenly.

Lucy blinked. “Huh?”

“My scars,” she replied.

Lucy bit her lip.

  1. “Yes,” Lucy said, lying. She didn’t want to see them, but she’d take a glance, if nothing else.



Akira shed her jacket, then lifted the back of her shirt.

Lucy swallowed a surprised cry.

Marks were all across her back. In every inch available, Lucy could see the raised flesh and even saw individual words etched and burned into her back. Lucy felt unimaginable sorrow for Akira.

She threw her arms around her cousin.

“I’m so sorry, Akira! I couldn’t have ever imagined anything like this!” she cried, shedding tears for her cousin.

~:~

As Lucy cried for her cousin, Akira felt something small, yet wet, hit her foot.

She then could feel the tears flowing freely, and let out a small sob as she let her tears fall.

~:~

“Akira, Lucy, you sure you want to take this job?”

Lucy smiled.

“I have to go out with Akira a couple times!” She said, laughing. “Without destruction following!”

Akira smirked. “Can’t guarantee that.” She looked at the board and paled. She looked at Mira. “Hey, Mira? Will you do me a favor?”

Mira nodded. “Of course, what?”

Akira handed her the job request. “Rip this up and notify the other guilds not to take this job?” she replied sweetly.

“It’s to take out a thief and property desecrator,” Lucy read out. “Green hair and is a fire mage- Akira, please tell me Mizu did not steal and desecrate the Royal Family of Caelum’s property,” she groaned.

Akira rubbed the back of her head.

“Okay, I won’t,” she said agreeably.

Mira laughed. “If it’s Mizu then fine. I’ll notify the job person that it was a rogue mage that is presumed dead.” Her eyes twinkled merrily. “After all, I think I heard of a burial of a Miss Cecilia Narcot…hmm, last week.”

Akira smiled gratefully at her. It was amazing what a Fairy Tail mage would do to protect their nakama. And, since it was technically a Caelum affair, Fiore was foreign to them; they’d probably look to Pergrande Kingdom instead.

She walked out of the guild with Lucy, never knowing the mage she was after was one she knew in Enca.


	10. Renna and Lyric

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Akira meets two friends from Enca, one of which has a small problem like Akira and Lyra.

Akira and Lucy made it to the client’s house in a small city called Kuvira. It was a mansion, and both cousins groaned in unison.

The lord’s servant’s led the two mages to a parlor. Akira quickly and politely asked to use the restroom and both were shown there.

Akira quickly threw a dress to Lucy, who smiled gratefully. They both put on ladylike dresses, and they both recalled every lesson a human tutor gave them (with Akira it wasn’t much, seeing as she was pretty much raised by a dragon) and tried to use as much poise as possible.

When Akira and Lucy stepped out, they were faced with a gaping butler who seemed to recognize them.

“My ladies, please forgive my impudence. I shall get Lord Justine right away,” he gasped, showing them back to the parlor.

“Justine,” Lucy said thoughtfully. “Isn’t Freed’s last name Justine?”

“Now that you mention it?” Akira asked. “Yes.”

They waited impatiently.

Finally, the butler entered the room. “Lord Christian Justine, Lady Arielle Justine, please welcome Lady Lucy Heartfilia and Lady Akira Soliana.”

Lord and Lady Justine looked down at the Fairy Tail mages.

“Where’s Lady Soliana’s guild mark?” Lady Justine asked. Akira smiled sweetly and curtsied.

“My lady, it is most fortuitous that you have asked,” she said imperiously. “My guild mark is right above my belly button.”

The butler gulped.

“You mages think you can do any-“

She stopped upon hearing Akira’s jingle of keys in her dress’ pocket.

“What are those?” Lady Justine asked suspiciously.

Akira drew them out. Lucy took a cue from her and drew her own Celestial keys out.

“Key mages.” Her voice was incredulous. “An Infernal wizard and a Celestial wizard working together…how ridiculous.”

“Lady Justine, in case you are not wondering, Freed Justine fits in quite well with the rest of the Fairy Tail crowd,” Akira said, quite nastily. “He’s actually a rune mage. And you want to know something?” She continued on talking as Lady Justine sputtered. “He’s a very good friend of mine.” She smirked at her. “All we want to do is finish this job, then we will never be back as long as you specifically ask for someone else. Now tell us what the rogue mage looked like and we might be able to help you.”

It was borderline rudeness.

Lady Justine glared at Akira, before putting on a condescending smile. “Very well. Please sit.”

Akira gritted her teeth.

~:~

“The mage had red hair, like that Scarlet girl you have in your guild,” Lady Justine whispered. “Eyes as green as poison. And her companion was a girl with silver, shimmering hair.” Lady Justine sniffed delicately.

Akira, however, was rigid with disbelief.

“Thank you,” she said stiffly. She stood up. “If you’ll excuse me, I must speak with one of my spirits.” She exited the house by teleportation.

She whipped out her key.

“Open, gate of the destroyer! Abaddon!”

Abaddon appeared, looking irritated.

“What?” he snapped.

“Can you smell Ren?” Akira asked urgently. Abaddon sniffed deeply.

“Yes, but I think…Ren’s a girl, his scent is too pure to be a guy,” Abaddon said, looking confused. “And Lyric is definitely with him.”

“Oh. My. Kami.” Akira turned a scary glare onto Abaddon.

“Mistress?” he asked a bit fearfully.

“YOU IDIOT! REN WASN’T CHASING US, IT WAS RENNA!” she yelled.

“Mistress, I assure you it was Ren chasing us. Like I said last time he did have a faint scent on him that I thought-and could be quite mistaken about- was Lyric.”

Akira moaned and put her face in her hands. “I’m sorry, Abaddon.” There was silence from him. “Abaddon?” She glanced up to see Abaddon staring at her with shock. Then a grin came upon his face.

“My lady,” he began, and Akira warily watched as he came up to her. He then took her hand and dipped her. “If only you were a guy.” He sighed with ‘disappointment’. “I would definitely date you then.”

Akira blushed heavily.

“Ah, stop it, flatterer,” she muttered, her face really pink.

Abaddon pulled her up. “Thank you, my Lady. You really are kind.” Akira’s eyes widened in surprise as Abaddon vanished and Lucy came out.

“You okay?” Lucy questioned.

“Yeah. Lucy…I know who the rogue mage is,” Akira admitted. “She’s the one who helped me out of Enca.”

“Renna?” Lucy asked.

“Yeah.” Akira started walking, Lucy right next to her. “I think I might know where she’s holed up at.”

~:~

**The Soliana Estate, next to the Heartfilia Estate**

“Sir, Madam? Selinia and Mizuza are here,” a maid said, knocking on the door to the study.

“Allow them entrance,” boomed Lord Soliana’s voice.

The two girls entered.

“Father, Mother,” Mizuza said formally.

“Good. You are here, Selinia. I expect you to marry Lord Junelle and have a boy,” Lord Soliana said briskly. “Mizuza, you are to marry Lord Justine’s second son, since his eldest went to that awful guild. You are also to have a boy.”

“You mistake our purpose in coming here,” Selinia said boldly. Mizuza’s eyes flickered to Selinia’s, then to their father’s. “Akirakaza did not come, so she knows not our purpose. As mages, we have a responsibility to our guild. As Conduits, we have a responsibility to the world. And,” she said, raising a hand to shut her father up before he could say anything, “as Dragon Slayers, we have duties to fulfill to our parents…who are not wealthy moneybags who play in the world of politics, Lord Soliana. While we are blood related to you and Lord Heartfilia, you are not my father. Not anymore. You see, I know it wasn’t Mother’s fault about the storm. But I never once suspected you used a weather mage until a few weeks ago, upon my meeting Juvia Lockser of the Element Four. I knew that storm wasn’t natural. While it was Mother’s fault that we were found out as mages, the blame of our kidnapping falls wholly onto you.”

Mizuza straightened. “Akirakaza knew something was up; however, she didn’t know how true that was until a demon was implanted in her.” Shock appeared on both Solianas’ faces. “I think it is best if we part ways, Lord and Lady Soliana. I have no doubt that Akirakaza will also agree with me.” She turned to leave.

“You leave this house you will never come back,” Lord Soliana said dangerously.

Mizuza turned to him with empty eyes.

“If it may be possible, Lady Soliana, may we collect a few items from our old rooms?” Selinia questioned.

“Of course,” Lady Soliana said, her voice trembling.

Both girls bowed and left, heads held high.

~:~

They packed a couple bags and went into Akira’s very, very cluttered room and grabbed an enchanted suitcase that always had more room in it, and packed up everything that was of sentimental value.

There was a few clothes here, a few knickknacks there (including a few wyvern scales and an old doll Akira always loved), and her writing supplies.

Akira, surprisingly, was an excellent writer. As Mizuza flicked through her sister’s written stories, she was awestruck at the great care she took in her chosen art form; she wrote out perfectly detailed adventures, describing things so well that one could really lose themselves in the story.

At long last, only Akira’s, Mizu’s, and Selene’s books remained, and they were all carefully labeled and put in Akira’s suitcase.

Finally, they were about to leave when Miss Long, a round, pudgy, warm woman (and the head cook) handed Mizu a pot of her famous stew. The lid was magically locked on and the pot was a new one made from Lily’s Exported Kitchen Ware (Mizu would really have to thank that demon), so nothing short of Lily herself would break it.

“You think we should visit Lyra’s mom and grab a few things of Lyra’s since she went on an experimental mission with the Rajinshuu?” Selene questioned Mizu.

Mizu shrugged. “Nah. Lyra said she wanted to bury her past, and that means creating a new life, I guess.” Mizu blinked in the afternoon sun as they left the estate grounds.

“Yeah, I suppose you’re right.” Selene looked down. “Did Al-“

“He basically said the same,” Mizu said quietly.

One last time, the sisters took a long look at the only home they’d ever known.

_Good-bye._

~:~

Akira walked into a bar. She knew Lyric by scent, and Lyric knew her by scent. They’d come up with a way to find each other in case they ever met again, so it was with ease that Akira sat down and waited.

Lyric’s scent wafted close by, causing Akira’s head to jerk up as she inhaled, nose twitching slightly.

“Hey, honey-bun, need a drink?” the waitress asked Akira. Akira used the passcode (and the drink she actually wanted), because Lyric’s sent was just out of her reach.

“A milkshake with fries, please.” She saw the older waitress’ eyes light up. “And an avocado.” There. The waitress nodded.

“I’ll get it right away, my sweet little lust.”

As weird as it was, Akira knew it was Lyric simply by that last bit.

Lyric came again, to give her a vanilla milkshake, fries, and a napkin with the words ‘ _Come to the ‘Employees Only’_ _door at the back and ask for my name.’_

As soon as she was done with her milkshake and fries Akira walked up and opened the ‘Employees Only’ door.

“What do you want, Girl?” a man asked gruffly.

“I’m looking for a waitress by the name of Lyric,” was her response.

“Last door on the right, lady.” He grunted, shoving past her to get to the bar, probably because he was the bartender. Akira turned to watch him go, a weirded-out expression on her face. She turned to see a hallway stretching out from behind a double-door.

Akira walked to the last door on the right in that hallway.

She tentatively knocked, and when it opened to reveal Lyric-the real, gorgeous Lyric-Akira threw herself at her Conduit sister.

Lyric gasped, but hugged Akira back.

“Okay, I sort of need to breathe still,” Lyric choked.

Akira realized that she was crushing the life out of her more delicate Conduit sister. Lyric-after Akira was done crushing her lungs-shut the door and examined her sister more closely.

All Conduits-even those in different countries or timelines-were sisters. It was a bond shared only by them, and a burden placed on them as well. Even Lady Soliana, Akira’s own mother, was considered to be Akira’s sister when acting out her Conduit duties.

Even though most couldn’t understand-and most honestly didn’t even _want_ to-Conduit relationships were intimate and not for males to understand. It was a private sisterhood. Very rarely, thank kami, were Conduit-Conduit relationships formed, but that was only because all Conduits were female and could only get the other pregnant through magical means…and that wouldn’t produce a Conduit heir unless it was meant to be. They were permitted, of course, but rare. There were unspoken rules, but no written ones. If ever a book on ‘How To Be A Conduit’ there was, then it was probably destroyed and/or banned.

Akira always wondered who the founder of the Conduit line was. Not that she’d ever know-no Conduit did.

“Lyric, where is Renna?”

Lyric smirked. “She decided to make a public spectacle of her ‘death’.” She put air quotes around _death._ “You haven’t changed too much, though.” Lyric eyed her friend with appreciation.

Akira couldn’t help it. Tears formed and she started to cry.

“Lyric, I thought…we all thought you were dead,” she sobbed. Lyric just held Akira.

“Shush, min kärlek,” Lyric murmured. Akira smiled through her tears. Lyric, Lyra, and Akira shared a deep understanding of one another. While Lyric didn’t literally ‘love’ her in the way she said it, it was a comfort to the younger Conduit.

A secret both Lyra, Lyric, and Akira shared: Poison and Azakarika had a third sister. Not as powerful as Poison, but definitely their sister. It was another thing that made them so connected.

Anger was their third sister, but, like Poison and Azakarika, went by a name that seemed most appropriate to her. Ikari.

Ikari named herself that upon having been thrusted into Lyric’s body. Ikari, (or 怒り [Anger])in reality, was almost exactly like Lyric. She wouldn’t hurt a soul unless it was absolutely necessary, but Ikari seemed too confused by human culture to really fit in without her sisters.

Lyric, unlike Akira and Lyra, had actually been born in Enca and so spoke their language fluently. As with all sleeping Conduits, she hadn’t really picked up on other languages and had worked hard until her forced Awakening upon seeing what the scientists did to her real dad and step mother.

Lyric just held her younger friend, an air of motherly affection surrounding her.

After a while, Akira stopped crying.

“Jeez, I think I must be getting soft,” she muttered after drying her face. “This is the second time I’ve cried in two weeks.”

Lyric laughed. Her laugh was like chimes.

“I highly doubt that’s the case, Akira. You’re just getting some much-needed stress relief,” she said to her friend. “I am glad, however, that you choose not to indulge in sex to relieve your tension.”

“Lyric!” Akira yelped, going red in the face.

“I forgot. You aren’t the pervert.”

“Lyra isn’t either,” Akira defensively said. Lyric shrugged.

“Yeah, she is,” Lyric nonchalantly stated. “I never did see that family resemblance.”

“Yeah, you haven’t changed much either,” Akira muttered, causing a victorious smirk to fall on Lyric’s face.

The door opened.

“Thank you, Miss Heartfilia, for allowing me to die in peace,” a cool, calm, and collected voice said. Akira’s heart stopped as she looked upon the face that had saved her.

~:~

Renna Okubyōmono stared at the one she’d saved with an exploding potion by injecting said exploding potion inside of her. She’d remembered, that after years of servitude in exchange for her freedom from her own brother, that the test subjects were human, albeit… _immortal_. She was like them, though…a lot less honorable.

Her stomach flipped uncomfortably at remembering.

~:~

**Two Years Before, Enca, Fire Guild Facility**

Renna walked purposefully towards the new friends Subject Music had acquired, Subject Lyre and Subject Lust. Subject Music had been…faulty with the implant she was given. Subjects Lyre and Lust were to be prepped and taken for implantation in four hours’ time. Until then, Renna was to supervise them and make sure they stayed doped up.

She had two years of servitude in this hellhole left, and then she could disappear for good.

Entering the three Subjects’ room, she noticed that, as per usual, Subject Music was wide awake and not saying a word. Subjects Lyre and Lust, however, seemed to be spacing in and out.

Renna forced herself to go over and check Subject Lyre’s vitals. Making sure everything was okay, she did the same to Subject Music’s. Finally, she went over to the last one. As Renna checked the girl’s vitals, she desperately tried not to focus on the fact the girl seemed to be bleeding…

She tried to ignore what her talent told her. She was an empathy Conduit, one who sensed others’ emotions.

Renna watched as the girl’s eyes opened blearily. She could see that, while Subject Lyre had some innocence and Subject Music had a little less than Subject Lyre, Subject Lust had no innocence left. And while Subject Lust may gain some innocence back…she wouldn’t be the same. But Subject Lust did have something other than an inborn defiance that seemed to make her glare at Renna even through the daze she was in, dosed up on a lot of drugs.

Renna finally realized that this girl felt…hope.

Something each of these Conduits didn’t have.

Renna bit her lip.

She couldn’t sit idly by any more. She had to help this girl-and the others-free. This girl could very well be the one she was looking for.

Her freedom.

Their freedom.

~:~

**Present Day**

Akira hesitantly stepped forward. “Renna?”

Her voice seemed to reach the oldest Conduit in the room.

“Akira.” Renna’s voice was filled with shock. And… _warmth._

“So this is the famous Renna?” Lucy asked from the doorway.

Renna went pink.

“Sorry, Miss Heartfilia, we’re just-“

Akira yanked her cousin inside and shut the door.

“Are we free to talk?” Akira asked.

Renna shook her head. “No.” She let some magic escape her; with that, they were teleported elsewhere.

~:~

“I’m sure you’ve heard the full story,” mused Renna as she opened a glass of whiskey.

“Actually, I haven’t,” confessed Lucy. “I’m afraid that, since Akira has been…quite preoccupied with saving my team’s lives, telling some of her story on a train, saving her family, and almost dying from one of our ex-guild members she seems to like in a romantic way” here Akira turned as red as a fire engine “despite the fact he attempted to kill her twice-“

“Once was an accident, he was trying to kill one of Lu-chan’s romantic interests,” Akira cut in.

Lucy shot her a glare before she continued, “-no, she hasn’t told us the full story.”

Lyric smirked. “Kira’s got a hero complex~” she sang. It sounded really pretty.

Lucy’s jaw dropped at the song of Lyric’s…quite _lyrical_ voice. It was a perk from being a Sound Dragon Slayer. She could literally roar a high or deep note towards one person (or a whole Fairy Tail guild hall thrice over) and make their ears bleed. She had multiple types-like all-but her favorite was her Sound Type. Most Conduit Dragon Slayers were taught by Lyric’s mother, so they had pretty voices too, but those who considered Lyric’s mother Kashi. Lyric had been taught by Dragons _with_ her parents’ consent (unlike most Conduit Dragon Slayers). Needless to say, each Conduit Dragon Slayer had their specific element they performed most proficiently in.

Akira looked at Renna. “Am I allowed to speak freely?”

Renna nodded. “Of course.”

Akira then leaned towards Lucy. “Lyric’s an Awakened Conduit. She was taught before her Awakening, though. She’s a Sound Dragon Slayer.”

Lucy knitted her eyebrows together.

“Does that mean she eats sound waves?” Lucy questioned, a bit confused.

Akira snorted as Renna chuckled while Lyric facepalmed.

“No,” Akira replied, smiling a little. “Lyric eats the air. When she uses a roar, it focuses on destroying the single sense most dragons love, other than their sight and noses. If there was enough noise in a single area, then yes, Lyric _could_ eat noise.”

Lucy looked thoughtful.

“Cool,” she breathed. Then she frowned. “What do you mean, ‘Awakened Conduit’?”

Renna decided to answer this one.

“Conduits-while born with innate, vast, and presumably unlimited sources of magic-have to have their magic ‘Awakened’ by certain circumstances, Lucy. You are in the process _of_ Awakening, which has been going on since you became an Aware Conduit.”

Lucy still looked confused.

Renna sighed. “Okay, I’ll try to simplify things for you. There are three stages for a Conduit. Stage 1: Sleeper. A Sleeper Conduit is a Conduit who has begun life without the knowledge of your heritage.  Most Conduits go their whole life without knowing. Some of us call it being ‘Unawakened’. Stage 2: Aware. An Aware Conduit knows what she is and is slowly learning about her world. And the final stage is Stage 3: Awake. An Awakened Conduit knows, accepts, and becomes a fully-fledged immortal Conduit.” Akira nodded.

Lucy looked sad. “So…I have to watch the family I know in Fairy Tail live and die?”

To her surprise, Akira chuckled.

“Unawakened Conduits live, die, and repeat,” she said. “If you die Aware, you’ll be reborn as the same thing with a different life and no memory of your past lives until you actually become an Awakened Conduit.”

“How do you know this?” Lucy asked suspiciously.

“Because I went through it,” Renna admitted. Lucy turned to her. “Lucy, a lot of women on this planet are Unawakened Conduits. Awakened Conduits are rare. One at your age…it’s even rarer. Besides,” Renna added. “As each life passes you by, you’ll learn something valuable.”

“And what’s that?” Lucy challenged.

“You will get to see that immortality is hard and quite taxing,” Renna responded. “You’ll see the value of living eternity, not as a chore, but as a reason to fulfill the duty Fate has placed upon you.”

“What about-“

“If you have a lover and he is the one Fate has chosen for you, Lucy Heartfilia…he will die, yes. But like the Unawakened Conduits, he will be reborn and will return to you.”

Lucy took a deep breath and looked to Akira for help.

However, when she was going to ask for it, it died in her throat at seeing the bitter look upon her face.

“Akira, what’s wrong?” Lucy asked.

“I’m jealous of you, Lucy.” Akira’s voice was uncharacteristically angry. “I would kill for a chance like this. To be naïve and innocent, to just know that I had a choice.”

Lucy blinked. Lyric bent forward to whisper in her ear.

“The Soli sisters-and Lyra-were forcibly Awakened by Akira’s mother,” she muttered, causing Lucy to frown. “When they were _two._ ”

Lucy felt sad for her cousins.

“I’ll do it.” Her answer slipped from her mouth. Lucy knew it wasn’t a mistake. Living and dying mortal and not doing a duty that was forced upon the Soli sisters when they were two didn’t sit well with her.

“Lucy, my dear, you’re forgetting something,” Renna said, her voice light. “You don’t automatically join the Sisterhood of the Traveling Conduits by saying, ‘I’ll do it’. You actually have to witness something horrible like your cousins did.”

Lucy’s eyes went wide. “What?!”

“She’s kidding,” Akira said flatly. “The only way for a Conduit to Awaken is to witness something either emotionally scarring, traumatizing, or horrendous.”

“I’ve been emotionally scarred and traumatized,” Lucy said. Akira shrugged.

“You will get number three then-oh, wait. I mean like watching your boyfriend kiss another girl, and/or watch someone kill someone else. Or even watching someone else being tortured.” She said it blandly.

Lyric hit her Conduit sister with a rolled-up newspaper.

“You are so stupid,” Lyric grumbled. Lucy privately agreed. _Did Akira really witness death?_

 

~:~

**Translations:**

**_If not specified what language the translations are in, assume it’s Japanese. If it’s not, it will be specified in parenthesis ( ) after the English translation. By the way, I used Google Translate so please forgive me if I am incorrect in the non-English translation._ **

_min kärlek- my love (Swedish)_

_Ikari- Anger_

_Kashi- Lyric_


	11. Revealed

Soon enough, Akira and Lucy bid Renna and Lyric goodbye, as Lyric and Renna were actually planning on staying in Kuvira for a few months longer.

Akira’s emergency lacrima flashed in the corner of her eyes, and she dropped her cookie she was given. Lucy was surprisingly quick enough to catch it.

“Hello?” she asked, and Selene’s grim face showed in its center.

“Akira, we need to talk to you. Now,” she said. Akira frowned.

“I’m in public, with Lucy,” she said, slightly offended.

“Akirakaza Soliana, come here now,” Selene ordered. Akira went sheet pale. “I’m in Lucy’s apartment.” With that, the communication lacrima shut off.

Akira stowed her lacrima away, grabbed Lucy’s arm and teleported them to the hotel, then, after grabbing their things, teleported them to Lucy’s apartment.

~:~

“I’m telling you, somehow Ren found out we were at Fairy Tail. He’s not after us-Akira, he didn’t even recognize us,” exclaimed Mizu. Akira was obviously in shock.

“Then how do you know it’s him, Mizu?” Akira demanded.

“I can recognize his or Renna’s red hair in a second. Kami, I thought Erza was Renna for a second!” Laughed Mizu.

Nobody laughed with the girl. Her laughter dried up.

“We need to attract his attention,” Akira said. A wicked grin appeared on her face. “And I have just the thing.”

~:~

Akira strolled into the guild. Her heart seemed to skip in the bad kind of way when she saw Ren.

She then stood up on a table and cleared her throat.

When nobody-except Macao and Wakaba, who fainted with blood loss after they saw right up her skirt (she’d chosen to stand on a table right next to them, on accident)-shut up, Akira placed her hands to her mouth and whistled an extremely high-pitched whistle. Mentally, she urged her magic to make it to where their ears rang, but it wouldn’t affect the dragon slayers too badly (though for Natsu she could make an exception).

Dead silence, for the first time in the history of Fairy Tail, echoed around the guild.

In the silence that remained, Akira jabbed her forefingers at Natsu and Gajeel.

“You two and me, let’s go a round,” she said, avoiding Ren’s suddenly interested look.

Natsu grinned. “I’m all fired up!”

Gajeel stood up. “Tch. I can’t beat on a chick who’ll lose,” he growled.

Akira raised an eyebrow. “Really? I guess I can tell Dad how you were. ‘Dad, you know your son Gajeel? Yeah, he kind of tortured my cousin, Lucy, who’s a girl, by the way, and he’s too chicken to fight his sister.’” She nearly grinned when Gajeel growled at her. “Yeah. Male pride. I can’t believe he thinks I’ll lose.”

Gajeel’s red eyes narrowed, then he smirked. “Gihi. You’re hilarious, Akira.” He jumped up, onto the table. “Ready, or too scared?”

“It’s on, Gajeel Redfox and Natsu Dragneel,” she growled, shifting into a ready position.

Natsu laughed. “I’m ready to kick your ass, Leaf-head!”

Akira looked pissed.

“WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?!”

“It’s on, Akirakaza Soli,” Gajeel said, smirking.

The three Dragon Slayers stood still for a fraction of a second. Then, as if this was a coordinated attack, both Gajeel and Natsu leapt forward.

Akira simply stood there, glaring at them.

“Tetsu doragon no kurabu!” Gajeel roared, his iron club ready to hit her.

“Hiryū no tetsu no ken!” Natsu shouted, his fiery fist primed.

Akira looked bored as she used her secret art.

“Chikyū no doragon no himitsu no geijutsu- Kamereon,” she said, loudly and clearly.

She ‘vanished’.

Natsu and Gajeel’s attacks landed on nothing.

“Tch,” Akira scoffed, sounding almost exactly like Gajeel (minus the deep voice). “Pathetic. Next time-“ she appeared, then slammed both of their heads into the ground, knocking them out, “-don’t give me time to use this move.” She grinned in accomplishment as she stared at the gawking faces of everyone around her.

“She could’ve beat Laxus with that move,” one whispered. Akira threw an irritated glare at that person.

“I only use that move as a last resort,” she icily said. She then shrugged at the glances they shot Natsu and Gajeel. “I like the clothes I’m wearing,” she said innocently. “Natsu would have burned my shirt and Gajeel would have ripped my clothes. I’m very sensitive when it comes to my clothes.”

“Is that why you got your dress ripped, Akira?” Mizu questioned, tilting her head.

Akira’s face went murderous.

“My dress,” she ‘wailed’. Then she quit and grinned darkly. “I owe Laxus a punch for that.”

Claps-distinctly familiar claps that made chills run up Akira’s spine- sounded behind the three.

“Congrats, Miss Soli,” a slightly rough voice said.

Akira’s face-and her sisters’-went completely blank.

“Why, Ren,” she said silkily, staring at him like he was nothing more than prey, “I didn’t know you cared.” She prowled up to him and pat his head like a child. “You should run,” she suggested in a sickly sweet tone. “Run and tell those scientists that if they ever try to kidnap us again, I personally will destroy their labs.” _Again,_ her tone implied. Ren was whiter than a sheet of paper. “Run along, now.” Her tone made certain that he was unable to say anything.

Ren nodded jerkily…and turned tail, darting out the double Fairy Tail doors.

Akira turned back to see the entire guild staring at her, this time for a whole different reason. She went up to the board and jerked a random mission off. Her jaw ticked in anger that just appeared out of nowhere-to those watching, at least.

“I’m going to take this mission, but it’ll take me a month tops,” Akira growled. Mira nodded and stamped it, smiling kindly.

“See you in a month!”

~:~

It was obvious to everyone the next day that Selene was angry-scratch that. Selene was so pissed Zeref’s anger would pale in comparison (but little does anyone in the guild know, Selene’s anger paled in comparison to Akira’s I-Just-Got-Woken-Up-And-Aza-and-I-Are-Not-Morning-People anger).

People wisely stayed out of Selene’s way when she was seen blowing up at some poor vendor over his choice of foods (“I came here for _oranges,_ not _peeled bananas!_ Bananas are the worst-tasting food in the world!”) and at Al for not making her drink right (“There’s not as much sugar as I want it!” “That’s too much sugar!”). The cause for Selene’s foul mood?

When Mizu came in, smiling and laughing with Lucy, right then Selene looked at her sister with thinly veiled anger and hostility.

“Mizuza.” Her voice hissed out, and people prepared for a fight. “Why could you tell her to go?” Selene demanded.

‘ _Her’ who?_ Wondered many Fairy Tail members.

Mizu rolled her eyes.

“Come on, Selene. She’s seventeen! As a matter of fact, we’re all seventeen! Just let her do her own thing,” Mizu said, rolling her eyes again.

Selene stood up and knocked her drink over.

“ _Let her do her own thing?!_ Mizu, the _last_ time Akira went to ‘do her own thing’ she was nearly caught, tried, and _executed_ by the fudging _Magic Council!”_ Selene’s magical pressure was expanding rapidly as she yelled at Mizu. Her eyes widened and she took several deep breaths.

Reining in her temper, her magical pressure went back down to its normal size.

“I’m just saying, it’s not in our best interest, no matter if this ‘Cora’ girl is supposedly one of us,” Selene said, almost civilly.

Mizu clenched her teeth.

“Cora assured us that the Magic Council wasn’t too pissed at Fairy Tail because of-and _only_ because of Siegrain,” She said, forcing out the words as though they pained her. “He’s a Wizard Saint, like Master Makarov. You should be happy we have such a convincing ally!”

Selene narrowed her eyes.

“ _Happy?”_ she demanded. “Should I be _happy_ that my sister is risking her life, taking on solo jobs without either one of us? Should I be _happy_ if the Magic Council finds her and kills her? Should I be _happy_ that my sister is trying to mother me?”

Mizu seemed to lose her calm.

“ _She’s the only one TO mother us, Selene!_ She’s the one who protected us, got beaten for us, got dragged away! Kami, not even _Lyric_ has that many scars! And I say we tell Fairy Tail what we really are, because I’m _sick and tired_ of having to live in constant fear! They’ll either betray us and hand us into the Magic Council themselves and have a pissed off horde of dragons to face, or keep us safe in the event that the dragons do come back and are vengeful! Either way, we die. Either way, we’ll just be unnatural freaks,” she spat. Selene actually flinched.

“Fine! Go ahead and tell them!” She snapped back.

“FIGURE EYE!”

Both Selene and Mizu were suddenly quiet. Lyra appeared, her eyepatch off and blazing.

Selene and Mizu took a step back.

“I cannot believe you two,” Lyra said quietly. “Making me resort to a magic I hate.” Her tikis, as usual, said nothing, simply rested in the air. She covered her eye, and Selene and Mizu both clenched their fists, a tick in both of their jaws. “Now apologize,” she said quietly.

“Sorry,” both said, sounding the exact opposite. Lyra sighed.

“Selene, go to your new apartment. Mizu, go to mine. We’ll settle this later,” Lyra growled. Lyra and Selene had gotten separate apartments-the triplets would stay in Fairy Hills at Selene’s apartment and Lyra’s apartment was right next to Lucy’s.

Both nodded. Mizu left, and Selene attempted to follow (probably to continue the argument). Lyra, however, kept her back and muttered something into Selene’s ear.

Selene went red, but nodded and walked away.

Gajeel snickered a little, his signature “Gihi!” startling the members a little.

Lyra turned to the guild and bowed. “Gomen'nasai. They are really idiots sometimes.”

Makarov appeared, a stern look on his face.

“What did Miss Soli mean by ‘what we really are’?”

Lyra grimaced. “I hoped to tell you in better circumstances, Master Makarov. Both of Mizu’s guesses on how you’ll react is…quite accurate, actually.” Lyra took a deep breath. “We’re Conduits.” She vanished among a shocked silence.

Then Gajeel, out of nowhere, snorted.

“Pathetic.” Natsu jumped up.

“What did you say, metal-head?!”

Gajeel looked up. “I said, ‘Pathetic’. I’m sure they could’ve faked a fight better than that.” Al snorted.

“Ain’t that right.” He continued cleaning the bar.

“Aren’t you a Conduit, too?” Gray asked, and Al laughed boisterously.

“Only chicks can be Conduits, Mr. Fullbuster. I’m lucky to have been born,” he said, shrugging. At Macao’s questioning look, he sighed. “Our mother was supposed to have a girl-just one. I was the miracle baby, seeing as there hasn’t been a boy with a Conduit mother and a Conduit sister.” He continued wiping down the bar. “Don’t judge them too harshly, Master Makarov. They’ve lived in fear for too long, and you can be certain that I won’t have you dangling a noose over their heads. If you send them in, send them in quick and proper, ‘cause they deserve that, at least.” He walked over to the door and patted Lucy on the head. “Later, Luce!”

Lucy slapped his arm off of her. “Bye, Pig.”

Al only cackled before leaving the guild hall.

~:~

Makarov sighed after Al left, then a lightbulb moment happened.

“A vote!” he cried. “Let’s vote and see if they can stay! All those who want them to stay, raise your hand!”

There was a long silence.

Makarov opened his mouth to speak again when Lucy’s hand shot up. There was a small silence before she spoke.

“I can’t watch my cousins die. If you kill them, you’ll have to kill me,” she said defiantly, looking around the guild.

Mira raised her hand too.

“I enjoy their company,” she said, smiling. “And they deserve to live as much as any single one of us do.”

Levy laughed, and raised her hand, making Jet and Droy also raise their hands. “I like Selene’s taste in books, and did you know that Akira’s writing a book?”

Gajeel huffed but raised his hand. “Akira’s my younger sister, shed haunt me from the grave.”

Natsu laughed before raising his hand. “I want a re-match, and I’m not sure she’ll give me a re-match if she’s dead, not willingly!”

Several face-palms happened at Natsu’s stupidity.

“Idiot,” Gray said before also raising his hand. “Anyone who can beat flame-brain here is fine by me.”

Erza also raised her hand, nodding a little.

“Indeed, Akira saved my life. I owe her a debt,” she seriously said. Freed, Evergreen, and Bickslow raised their hands, too. When Evergreen rose her hand, Elfman did too.

Makarov nodded firmly as the rest of the Fairy Tail guild rose their hands. If Gildarts had been there, it would have only cemented his first (and final) decision.

“This mark,” he began, causing everyone to shut up, “is a badge of pride.” He saw the Conduits in the back, unveiled to his eyes alone by Mavis’ power, Akira fizzing out every now and then to prove it was simply a thought projection. “It is a symbol our First Master came up with when we began as a guild. But,” he said, making everyone look puzzled as to what he was planning to say next, “this mark isn’t just to say that you’re simply a member of Fairy Tail. It’s a mark of family. A family may not always agree, but we support each other.” He looked at his brats. “Therefore, as Master of Fairy Tail, I ask each and every one of you to personally welcome the Soli and Fierce Conduits, as well as any other Conduit who comes with good intentions. While this generation still draws its breath, brats, we will never turn away a person in need.” Makarov lifted his hand in the Fairy Tail symbol.

Each member of the guild rose their hand in the Fairy Tail symbol, a proud smile on their faces.

Lucy placed her hand over her mouth, tears sliding down her face.

Makarov could only watch fondly as his brats celebrated, a green flying cat calling, “Yeah!”

~:~

Akira shed more tears than she’d ever shed before in her life.

She loved Fairy Tail. She never truly realized it until that single moment.

Fairy Tail wasn’t simply just a home for orphaned mages or even for those magic-less like Al who knew how to mix a drink and import beer. Magic or not, Fairy Tail was their _home._

She tried to walk forward, but with the amount of tears clouding her vision she could barely anything, so she ended up tripping. She’d done the job in a day, quite easily, as it was just gathering a bunch of flowers for some healing potions. She’d decided to train in the forest, as she wanted to practice her untapped Conduit magic.

She remained on the ground as she wept even more.

Her tears finally seemed to dry and she sniffed a little. She swiped her face almost angrily.

Ever since she’d come to Fairy Tail, it’d been almost non-stop crying. Something she hadn’t done since her dragon vanished.

Her tears had started as Laxus had left, and had seemed to keep on flowing ever since.

Akira heard something snap.

Silently cursing, Akira stood up and slipped behind a tree, trying to hide herself.

“You can come out now.” Akira’s eyes widened at the familiar voice.

She allowed her feet to carry her away from the relative safety of the tree and found herself face to face with Fairy Tail’s recent ex-communicated member.

“Laxus,” she found herself saying in a surprised manner. “What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same, Akira,” he said stiffly, eyeing her Fairy Tail mark a bit warily.

“I’m not here from Fairy Tail, I’m here to train, if that’s what you’re wondering, Laxus,” Akira snapped. “I didn’t know that you’d be in this forest.”

“Don’t worry, I’m leaving,” Laxus replied nastily.

Akira rolled her eyes.

“Oh, calm yourself,” she said crossly. “If anyone’s leaving, _I_ should. I’m the one that trespassed.” She nodded abruptly.

Akira turned away and began to walk away.

Laxus coughed. “On the other hand, Akira, I don’t mind company.”

Akira turned with a bright, albeit forced, smile.

“Don’t force yourself,” she said bitterly.

“Akira…I’m serious. I have a house, although it’s rented, a few miles away,” he said hesitantly.

Akira debated.

In the end, she shrugged.

“Where’s this house of yours?”


	12. Conduits and Sugar

“Thanks, Laxus, for letting me stay here,” Akira said, her eyes assessing the house.

Laxus snorted. “Yeah, whatever.”

Akira frowned. Apparently Laxus still had the attitude that had gotten him kicked out in the first place.

“I have to go to the Caitshelter guild to escort one of their members in the morning, so you should get some sleep and be on your way,” Laxus stated.

Akira looked up at him eagerly.

“Can I help? Escorting people would make me better acting with people in general!” Akira said, her eyes wide. She had no idea if the puppy eyes would work or not on Laxus.

~:~

Laxus stared at her. Her puppy eyes were pleading and… _damn it!_ Why did she have to look so…

“Fine,” Laxus snapped, looking away. He moved into the bedroom in the house he’d made (with the mayor of the town of Toshiro’s permission) and slammed the door to the room shut.

He heard her cheering a little, then she settled down. With a sigh of relief, he himself got ready for bed, wondering for a few seconds just _why_ Akira looked so sexy.

When he’d gone into the woods, he hadn’t expected the scent of saltwater to reach his nose, along with low sobs to hit his ears. Above all, he hadn’t expected to see _Akira_ come from behind the tree.

And puppy eyes? Seriously? She’d looked so hopeful with those eyes Zeref would’ve had a difficult time refusing her.

Laxus sighed as he realized that thinking of Akira-being near her-would give him a headache…because he didn’t know why she was so alluring to him.

~:~

Selene absently wiped sweat off of her brow as she worked in the garden.

This was the first time she’d stayed in one place, other than her old home, to be able to have a garden.

There were several untended plots outside the Fairy Hills dormitory. One abandoned plot lingered, and Selene had decided-in order to actually think-to plant several different types of flowers.

Akira-if she hadn’t been off training-would have loved to plant things. As her mother had been Terra, plants seemed to come alive around her, flourishing and growing so fast it was unbelievable.

Selene smiled as she thought of her own mother, Grandine. Grandine had taken in a young girl a couple of years before-Selene hadn’t known how old Wendy had been, just that she’d been really young at that time.

Mizu’s father had, of course, been Igneel. It was obvious Mizu had a temper, but Mizu usually masked that with her normal idiocy.

Lyra’s mother Aqua had been like Aquarius, at least a little. Aqua pretended not to care most of the time and pretended to hate Lyra, but in reality Aqua loved Lyra, but she couldn’t express emotions very well.

Selene’s smile turned into a frown. Lyra was calmer and had Extalia; since the other flying and talking cats had deserted them Lyra had been almost pleased.

But…Selene knew that Lyra had loved her cats.

With a deep sigh, Selene finished the last row and stood, wiping the last of the dirt from her forehead. With shock, Selene noticed that it was dark.

Tasting the air-not having the connection with trees and flowers and grass like Akira did-Selene quickly figured out it was eleven fifty-nine.

Teleporting into her room, Selene fell onto her bed happily. Mizu was asleep, Akira was-

Opening her eyes (and not realizing she’d closed them), she felt for the bond she had with her sisters.

Both of them were asleep, though Akira’s was definitely uneasy, but not raising too many alerts in Selene’s mind.

Akira’s presence shifted from ‘asleep’ to ‘awake’.

 _Selene? What’s wrong?_ Akira sounded worried. Selene sighed. Akira had always slept lightly.

 _Just making sure you were all right, ‘Kira. You know me, worrying like a mother hen._ Selene was slightly worried, but even if Akira had been in trouble she wouldn’t have any trouble contacting Selene and Mizu.

 _I’m fine Selene. Just…ugh. I’m going to the guild Caitshelter in the morning; Laxus got a message from them before he found me earlier today. It was a little awkward, seeing as after he found me crying in the forest he offered to let me stay for the night. I was a real wreck after what happened at the guild._ Akira paused for a second. _But, Selene…_ There was another pause. _I don’t want the guild in danger._

 _Akira…don’t worry. Things will work out._ Selene paused, but found it unnecessary to continue.

_Selene…even Mizu knows that for Conduits, things never work out._

Selene couldn’t speak to her sister about that; it was true, after all. For Conduits, the Magic Council was worrying enough.

 _I hope for all our sakes,_ Mizu suddenly thought sleepily, _that our story doesn’t end like other stories._

Both sisters went silent.

~:~

Akira stepped into the Caitshelter guild hall with trepidation.

Laxus was in front of her. As a rogue mage-or an excommunicated mage-he’d been getting requests lately. And escorting someone they didn’t know was best for all of them.

The problem was, Akira could only sense two living creatures in the whole guild.

When the member came down, Akira’s jaw dropped.

It was definitely her. Akira had only met her once, but Akira knew it was her.

“Wendy,” she breathed.

Wendy looked up.

“Do I know you, Miss?” the girl asked, and the pure white cat sighed.

“Honestly, child, you shouldn’t ask that if she knows your name.” The white cat scowled.

“Yeah, you do. We only met once, but perhaps you’d remember your sister, Selen-, I mean, Selinia?”

Wendy perked up.

“You know my sister?”

“I should,” Akira chuckled a little, “seeing as she’s my birth sister and has been eagerly awaiting the day she could see you again.” She ruffled the younger girl’s hair.

Wendy looked embarrassed. “Sorry, Akira-san-“

“Call me Akira, I hate formalities,” she chuckled again.

“Sorry, Akira, I was so young,” Wendy said. “Is Selinia going to be meeting with us?”

Akira shook her head. “We’re here to escort _you_ , but I need to talk to the master of this guild. Laxus, why don’t you take Wendy and-“ she looked to the cat.

“Charle,” the cat sniffed.

“-Charle outside and go over the plan with them,” Akira finished. She gave Laxus a dark look when he went to protest, and then cut her eyes to the guild master, her suspicion on her face for a few seconds.

Laxus nodded. “Right. Come on, kid.” Wendy smiled brilliantly at Laxus and both her and Charle walked away.

Akira, as soon as Laxus and Wendy were outside, whirled on the guild master.

“How come I only sense Wendy and Charle as living people?” Akira questioned in a chilling voice.

The guild master looked saddened.

“I’m a ghost,” the master admitted. “I pretended to be a human because young Wendy here wanted a guild and her friend-Mystogan, I think he said his name was-hand her to me telling me she was sick and that he had to leave to find something called Anima.”

Akira frowned.

“Hmm,” she said.

“He visits from time to time,” the master offered. “He checks up on Wendy, though she doesn’t know it.”

Akira blinked. “Good. However, you better tell Wendy soon.” She didn’t give him time to answer as she swished her cloak around and left, her head held high.

Apparently, the clothes were real enough and what Laxus and Akira would get in payment since the guild didn’t use money. Instead, they traded clothes for food that someone made.

Not that Akira actually wanted some of their food.

Anyway, she exited out of the cat-like guild and said, “Let’s go!”

Laxus rolled his eyes at her.

Instead of smirking, though, Akira took Wendy’s hand and talked to her excitedly.

“You should visit Laxus more often when this job’s done! You should tell him about Grandine.” Akira smiled at the Sky Maiden. “I was going to tell him about Adtonitus, but you didn’t meet him either!”

“Actually, Grandine did let us meet him once,” Wendy shyly said. “I think I remember you a little better. I think it was you who was training with him.”

Akira grinned. “Yeah! I’d forgotten about that, actually, but yeah.”

“Grandine introduced two others, Mizuza and Lyrasu, right?”

Akira blinked. Lyra’s full name was Lyrasuza, like Al’s was Alkaline (Akira’s and Lyra’s mothers liked the ending –za on the end of female names, excluding Selinia’s. Al’s name had been borne out of boredom between Layla, Lady Fierce, and Lady Soliana), and Lyra had hated her full name but liked the constellation’s name. Layla Heartfilia had told her that Lyra (the constellation) was a harp, so Lyra had changed it to where her name was LIE-rah, not LEE-rah, and Lyra (human) had also mastered the harp as an instrument.

Lyra (human) had allowed the dragons and their children to call her Lyrasu, though.

Everyone else called her ‘Lyra’.

Akira hadn’t heard ‘Lyrasu’ in years, though.

“Yeah. If and when you see them again, they go by Selene, Mizu, and Lyra, okay?” Akira said. “And I’m Akirakaza, but I go by Akira.” Akira knew not to mention Wendy’s Unawakened Conduit-ism. Grandine had stayed quiet about it for a reason.

“Who are you talking about?” Laxus said, stopping any form of Wendy’s heritage from straying from Akira’s lips.

“Our dragon parents,” Akira softly said, casting her eyes down. “You’d be considered Adtonitus’ kid if you’d met him. He’s the Lightning Dragon.”

“I thought that there was only a dragon for the major elements,” Charle put in sharply.

“Nope,” Akira said. “But I can’t say anymore to those of us who are not dragon slayers. Dragon code, sorry,” she said to the talking cat. Charle huffed and looked away.

“Dragons have a code?” Laxus questioned.

Akira furrowed her brows and looked at Wendy. Laxus sounded shocked, for some reason.

“Are you serious?” Akira questioned.

Laxus nodded. “Since I wasn’t taught by a dragon, I wouldn’t know, would I?” Laxus questioned.

Akira looked down.

Wendy coughed. “Laxus-san, Akira means that, if it wasn’t a dragon, or a dragon slayer who tells you the rules of a dragon slayer that taught you dragon slaying magic, then who taught you?”

Laxus’ eyes went hard.

“I taught myself. I had a lacrima implanted in me,” he harshly said.

Akira froze.

_Did he really just say that?_

“What?” Akira’s voice was a whisper.

Laxus turned to her, looking puzzled on why he had to repeat himself.

“I said I had a lacrima implanted in me,” he repeated.

~:~

Akira’s look of complete shock took him by surprise as he said it the first and second one.

They were currently in a forest, a day away from the drop-off point.

Akira’s hand moved to rub at a spot near her collarbone, right above her breasts (which, in Laxus’ thoughts, seemed generous. She and the busty blond at the guild Laxus had wanted shared that trait).

“I know how you feel,” she said. Wendy had moved away with Charle, obviously not trying to listen in.

Laxus snorted. “Yeah, your old man gave you a dragon slayer lacrima that could kill you? Sure.” He threw a lot of sarcasm in that statement.

Anger flickered in the depths of her eyes.

“No.” Her voice was filled with anger…and _sadness._ “Instead I got a literal demon who loved, about four hundred years ago, to rip her enemies apart and bathe in their blood put in me-enslaved to my very _soul_ -by about seven sadistic scientists who loved to use forbidden spells to torture me in a whole different, magic-despising country.” Her rage lit her eyes with an inner fire…which died a few seconds after she spoke. “She’s different now, though.”

Laxus was speechless. Not even his own, power-hungry father would do something like that.

“I…” words actually failed him.

Akira waved his attempts to actually talk away.

“Eh, it doesn’t really matter anymore. They died, and I’m happy.”

Laxus nearly shivered at the cold tone she employed.

Akira walked forward.

“Wendy! Let’s go!”

~:~

Selene yawned as she followed Lucy, Erza, Natsu, Gray, Happy, and Mizu to their meeting point.

She was so tired from gardening two nights before, and she’d also trained so hard the day before, her muscles were screaming in protest already.

Mizu looked alive (unsurprisingly). She was eyeing Gray’s naked body like a chocolate lover would eye a Death By Chocolate cake.

Which was gross.

Really gross.

Anyway, they entered the room and Selene immediately leaned against the door and fell asleep.

Falling backwards, she landed in _another_ stripper’s arms.

“Hello, darling,” Lyon said, his eyes gleaming. “How is the most beautiful girl in the world today?”

Red splashed across Selene’s cheeks.

“Um,” she said, standing up, “I have to go…” she practically ran from Lyon’s arms.

The doors opened once more and in tripped a girl…one that Selene immediately helped up.

“Wendy!” Selene gasped seconds later.

Wendy smiled. “Selin-, Selene-san!”

Selene looked at her, puzzled.

Wendy blushed. “I met Akira and Laxus-san who said they knew you…they’re the ones who escorted me here."

Selene looked up towards the door and spied a note.

She darted over and grabbed it.

_‘Selene, Mizu, and Lucy:_

_I’m going to go train with Laxus. Tell the guild that I’m safe ‘n’ stuff. See ya when I get home!_

_AS & AZ (This is Aza’s signature, Selene. She was insistent)_

_P.S. Mizu, stop ogling Gray’s body. Quite frankly, it’s stalkerish and really, really disturbing.’_

Mizu pouted. She’d used their twin telepathy (actually, in this case it’s triplet telepathy) and read the note via Selene’s mind.

“But he’s hot!” Mizu whined.

Selene rolled her eyes.

“I agree with Akira, Mizu, you really should stop.” Selene tucked the note into her jacket pocket. She then turned to Mizu. “It’s almost Juvia-level obsessiveness.”

Mizu hissed. “She’s _my_ Love Rival!” A sweatdrop formed on both Lucy’s and Selene’s head.

Selene loomed over Mizu.

“You _will_ stop this obsessive behavior or else I’m telling Akira that you’ve been bad!” Selene thundered.

Mizu paled.

“Yes, Selene,” she whispered, properly cowed.

Lucy looked amused.

“Is Akira the oldest?” Lyon wondered.

Lucy snorted.

“She’s their middle sister. In fact, you’d never guess it now, but Selene, Akira, and Mizu are triplets, oldest to youngest in that order,” was Lucy’s response.

“So what exactly are we doing here?” interrupted Jura. He was the newest member of the Magic Council, taking Ultear’s place. But in order to have a tie breaker on the Council-because like the Ten Wizard Saints, there were ten Council members-Cora, a Conduit friend of theirs and wholehearted supporter of Fairy Tail, had been placed on the council as well. So now there were four Fairy Tail supporters (since apparently Jura liked Fairy Tail as well).

“We’re here to take down another member of the Baram Alliance,” Selene said seriously. “They’re trying to take something called Nirvana.”

Wendy blinked. “My guild is descended from the Nirvits, the people have lived here for ages.”

Selene grinned. “Let’s go save this Nirvana thing from the hands of the evil ones!” She took a sip of the coffee that the Trimen had handed her a few seconds before (she didn’t particularly care for them so she ignored their existence). She skipped once and yelped in pain as it zigzagged through her body.

Wincing, she stopped and held her arms out to Mizu. The coffee had had a lot of sugar in it, and Mizu had drank some too…

“Carry me, Mizu?” she asked the fiery teen.

Mizu laughed. “’Course, Selene!” She zipped over and threw Selene over her shoulder.

“Oh no,” Lucy whispered.

“What?” Erza questioned.

Lucy looked at the Trimen.

“ _You gave them coffee.”_ Her voice was horrified. “Did it have sugar?” she asked.

Eve Tearm held up a sugar holder-half of it was empty.

What little color there was in Lucy’s face drained at the horrifying prospect she was now facing.

“ _YOU GAVE THEM HALF A CONTAINER OF SUGAR?! ARE YOU INSANE?! SELENE! MIZU! AKIRA’S GOING TO KILL YOU!”_

Lucy dashed out of the hall in pursuit of the triplets.

~:~

**Meanwhile…**

“What do you mean, you can’t access the entirety of the Celestial Wizard’s memory?” A voice asked two floating dolls chillingly.

The dolls moved back and forth.

“Pidy, pidy, it’s blocked,” they chanted. “We can’t even access the wizard’s cousins at all. Mimicking their form is easy-pidy, pidy-but it’s like they have no power.”

The dolls were lying. But their wizard either couldn’t tell or wasn’t paying enough attention.

“Useless twins,” growled their wizard.

The dolls were forced back into their world…only to find themselves tugged onto a different plane by the Infernal dolls.

The Infernal dolls were black and white, but had separate, humanoid forms. The Celestial dolls were blue, but had distinguishing belts.

They transformed.

Azrael and Abaddon stood in front of them, their wings draping behind them.

“Gemini,” they said.

Gem and Mini transformed into one person (they weren’t old enough to be two separate ones). They transformed into Lucy.

“Azrael. Abaddon,” Gemini said, their voices one now.

 “Gem, Mini, it’s so nice to see you,” Abaddon rumbled, his expression sour.

Suppressing a sigh, Gemini transformed into another of their forms.

Gray Fullbuster.

Both Azrael and Abaddon cheered up quickly.

“What did you want?” Gemini questioned.

“You know by now that our master is Akira.” Gemini nodded. They did know.

“What of it?”

“She has decided to train with Laxus. I ask you, Gem and Mini, to _not_ allow yourselves to hurt Lucy, or else Lucifer-and Leo the Lion-will appear and help Lucy.” Azrael looked drop-dead gorgeous right then. She was also drop-dead serious.

Gemini shivered at Azrael’s protective tone.

“All right,” Gemini stated. “We will not-hold on. Did you say _Lucifer_ would appear?!” Gemini was definitely shocked.

“Yeah, Lucifer has given Akira his key.” A reverent smile appear on Azrael’s face. “A demon contracted to a demon.”

Gemini frowned as they felt for Akira’s form. Bringing it to inspection, Gemini realized that Akira’s form was…incomplete.

Her memories were blocked off from Gemini, as was her…demon.

“Wow,” Gemini whispered. They felt their key being used. “We have to go,” Gemini said, vanishing.

The Infernal Twins also vanished.

~:~

**Celestial World**

The Spirit King was troubled.

A Celestial Wizard…Layla’s daughter…and an Infernal Wizard. Existing in the same generation…born the same day...

Fortuitous or not, he felt a ripple of dark magic as he thought about it.

Before he could do anything about it, Infernal Magic rippled through the Celestial World, disintegrating that spot of dark magic.

Lucifer, leader of the Infernal Realm, stood before him.

It wasn’t _Lucifer_ , per say. It was merely a projection.

“Lucifer,” the Spirit King said.

“Your Highness,” Lucifer said, looking utterly serious. “I ask for a simple favor.”

The Celestial King was immediately wary.

“It has been too long for the Infernal Spirits. I respectfully ask that we be allowed back into the Spirit World.” Lucifer got down on one knee. “I ask your forgiveness.”

There was a long silence.

Then the Spirit King grinned.

“Lucifer,” he boomed. “I forgave you of your transgression when I forgave Leo.” He let the smile slip from his face. “You utterly destroyed my daughter, the Princess of the Celestial World.” _Purposefully,_ his tone implied. “However, I forgave you because you were young and naïve. Next time, I will not be merciful. Do not harm them.” His voice held dark promise in it if Lucifer would ever do such a thing.

Lucifer bowed. “I shall await your calling my wizard.”

He was about to leave when the Spirit King stopped him.

“Do you trust your wizard?”

Lucifer looked towards the Spirit King.

“I do, that is why my key was given to her,” he replied, looking confused.

“Then finish it. Give her the complete set.” The Spirit King blinked his red eyes once. That forced Lucifer to vanish.

With a repressed sigh, the Spirit King went back to watch the Celestial Wizard and her cousin the Infernal Wizard.

They were more entertaining, anyway.


	13. The Oración Seis Become the Oración Duo

The Oración Seis were utterly confused.

They’d been certain the guild would ‘stumble’ onto their hiding place.

They didn’t expect a girl running into the clearing carrying another girl, laughing crazily.

They also didn’t expect another few mages behind them, screaming at the two crazily laughing ones to stop.

And…well…another thing they didn’t plan for.

Cobra, a sugar-high Akira, and Laxus meeting head-to-head.

A). Laxus was definitely better than him.

B). Akira was super angry at Cobra.

And last but not least,

C). Jellal regaining his memory because Mizu went Vessel mode on him and the master of the Oración Seis.

Here’s what happened:

Akira was walking alongside Laxus when she stopped for a second, a shudder going through her before falling onto her knees.

Laxus looked at her, his face void of emotion.

“You okay?” he asked.

Akira’s pupils went wide, too wide. Then they went back to their normal selves.

“What the-“

“Oh, chill,” Akira rasped. “Just…” she clapped a hand over her mouth, looking decidedly green.

She made it past his nose, but not his ears-he wished he could claw his ears off.

She came back looking refreshed, and thankfully not smelling like she’d just threw up her breakfast.

“Sorry, sugar in my system.” She smiled, but then they both heard brief yelling.

Her face went thunderous.

“Laxus,” she said tightly, “you come with me and I’ll teach you the Dragon Code of Honor and a few more tricks Adtonitus taught me.”

Laxus was thoughtful.

“Okay,” he agreed easily.

~:~

In a distant part of Selene’s mind, she knew she wasn’t supposed to have caffeine. Or sugar. Neither could Mizu-Conduit metabolisms burned sugar like it was an open fire. As long as the Conduit did not have sugar with a cup of coffee, it was okay.

Caffeine-free coffee with sugar was…okay if you were like Akira.

Not Caffeine-free coffee with sugar was…really, really bad.

So bad it forced a reaction in the one who didn’t drink it.

Akira would make it her personal mission to maim or injure the ones responsible.

That’s what a little part of Selene’s mind was thinking. But she had had a TON of sugar with a cup on non-decaf coffee, so she ignored that rational part of her that told her to stop.

Instead, she allowed her aching and protesting body to be carelessly held by her sister.

“Whee!” Selene cried childishly.

Lucy-who had kept running after them-shouted at them before they hit the people at the other side.

Mizu and her instincts decided to stop and both sugar-high dragon slayers were snarling at the other dragon slayer for encroaching on their territory.

Selene’s nostrils flared and sniffed the other dragon slayer.

In this animalistic state of mind, it was obviously hard to tell what Selene was thinking.

But actually having been taught by the Poison Dragon, she knew exactly what the Poison Dragon Slayer in front of her thought of her.

_‘Mindless animal. Hope she doesn’t find out we sort of kidnapped Jellal and wiped his memories.’_

_Jellal…_

Selene snarled in the dragon tongue to Mizu.

‘He took an ally of ours and wiped his memory!’

Mizu growled as the Poison Dragon Slayer stepped forward.

 _Enemy. Protect Blondie._ That was the thought running through Selene’s and Mizu’s mind in synchronization. Their sugar-high animal side simply thought as Lucy as _theirs._

However, thunder boomed on the cliff, causing Mizu and Selene to shrink back in sudden fear at the loud noise.

They were right to.

~:~

Akira loomed threateningly above the two idiotic sisters, _her_ two idiotic sisters.

“YOU TWO ARE IN SO MUCH TROUBLE WHEN WE GET HOME THAT IN TWO HUNDRED YEARS YOU’LL BE WISHING THAT YOU HAD NOT HAD ANY SUGAR!” Akira roared at them. Her anger seemed to make Laxus ashen-faced. Her voice was much deeper when she yelled at her sisters, plus Aza seemed to make an echo.

Both dragon slayers shrank back.

Akira grinned coldly. “Whoever gave them the sugar and coffee, give it to me.”

Eve timidly handed the terrifying girl the requested items.

She dumped the rest of the sugar in the coffee pot (which Eve had somehow managed to smuggle out of the house they’d all met at), and looked at her sisters.

“Open up,” she ordered the two.

Obediently, they did so.

A small splash of coffee was poured into their mouths. Then, Akira looked at Laxus.

“Let’s take this so-called Poison Dragon slayer down. He obviously needs to be taught the Dragon Code as well.”

Laxus nodded. Akira drank the rest of the coffee…and immediately, they could see the effect it had on the part-demon woman.

Instantly, shivers wracked her spine and she was immediately in her Earth Drive. Her pupils were unnaturally large, and the normal green was just a ring around them.

All three were positively _high on sugar._

~:~

Cobra instinctively used his former advantage-his ability to read thoughts…which only made him get a headache.

Akira cocked her head and grinned, her canines visible.

Very delicately, she went into a crouch and growled at him.

Instinct seemed to make Laxus also ease into a crouch and growl. If Cobra had been a real dragon, he would have fled.

As it was, he stepped onto Cubellios and Cubellios started to fly away very quickly.

Happy with fleeing the double dragons, he turned…to see Akira and Laxus on his tail, angelic wings spread from Akira’s back, and Laxus using his lightning.

Cursing, Cobra found Cubellios speeding up-but it was impossible to outrun the two.

So he stopped at the most inopportune moment and clocked the girl-but he felt nothing, nothing at all until he hit Laxus.

Mistake number 1.

He heard the girl grab Laxus, but when he whipped his head around Laxus was alone.

He mentally shrugged and immediately turned all of his focus onto Laxus.

Mistake number 2.

He used a poison blast, and, anticipating Laxus’ dodging, was able to spit poison in his face…which was then sucked in by a sugar-high girl named Akira.

Figuring Akira would die, he didn’t use his poison again.

Last mistake.

Akira used her roar to hurt him. This time, though, the blast had _poisoned_ earth. Cobra tried to eat it, but he choked on it instead.

Akira looked satisfied in a creepy, loopy way.

“Yay~ the one of Poison has gone~” she giggled. Cobra shuddered.

“I hear you,” he muttered at last, and Akira tilted her head.

“Hmm? You hear me? I know, I spoke,” she stated simply.

Cobra shook his head.

He’d heard…her, but _not._ It wasn’t exactly Akira, as he’d gleaned her name from Laxus’ mind-it was someone-or even some _thing_ -else.

“You need to learn the rules,” she stated, clapping her hands together.

 _Rules? What rules? Oh, the dragon rules. But why would she want to tell them to this crazy dragon slayer with his flying snake?_ Laxus questioned in his mind. He’d gone to stand on the top of a nearby tree.

Speaking of Cubellios, Cubellios seemed to be…asleep. In midair.

Cobra heard the other voice, the not-Akira voice.

_Great. Akira’s going to be an imbecile. As per usual._

Okay, so dragon rules…wait, _what?_

“Dragons don’t have rules,” Cobra growled.

Akira raised an eyebrow.

“How would you know?” She questioned in a dark tone. “Were you raised by dragons like me?”

Cobra was frozen.

She was raised by dragons?

_Boasting about being a freaking Conduit and learning every dragon’s art isn’t exactly subtle, Akira._

Cobra cocked his head.

“You’re a Conduit?”

Fear transformed both her scent and face into…something else.

She kicked him off of Cubellios, and he landed in the dirt. The last thing he saw before he fell unconscious was a girl aiming to punch him, and possibly end his life.

~:~

**Elsewhere, near Nirvana**

Erza, Gray, and Natsu ran into a clearing, having followed Lyon and Racer-whoever Racer was, exactly-to that same clearing. Hoteye had already been defeated…by a blast from Mizu.

The sugar had worn off of Selene soon after she’d drank the second cup (“While it’s dangerous with a Conduit’s immune system and screws everything up for a while, it burns off pretty fast”).

Selene and Wendy, though, were helping Ren Akatsuki take down Midnight of the Oración Seis. Mizu was…well, nobody really knew. Happy was with Hibiki Lates of the Trimens. Eve and Ichiya were still at the house they’d all met at.

The three mages screeched to a halt when they saw a blank-looking Jellal, who was next to the guild master of the Oración Seis.

“Jellal,” Erza gasped in shock.

Jellal looked to her. “Do I know you?” He looked honestly confused.

“You…don’t know me?” Erza questioned, sounding a little hurt.

“You-“  Natsu began, but he was cut off by the guild master.

“You three should join our guild.” He smiled a ‘warm, inviting’ smile that just looked plain creepy. “It’d be fun.”

Gray shuddered. “You’re really creepy.”

Mizu came barreling in just as the guild master opened his mouth to shout at Gray.

“Leave Gray alone,” Mizu hissed.

Gray blinked.

“He’s too handsome to join a creepy guild like yours,” Mizu went on. “I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t allow him to strip, and that’s one of his best features.”

Gray went red as Mizu gave him a wink.

“Plus, Erza is known as ‘Titania’, and I’m pretty sure she has the hots for Jellal, here,” she continued. “And Natsu…” she made a weird face. “He’s so dense he doesn’t even know what love is.”

Natsu indignantly shouted, “Hey!”

“And so,” Mizu said, slipping into a battle stance. “We won’t let you steal this Nirvana thing. Whatever it is…I didn’t really listen,” she admitted, looking a tad guilty.

Gray sighed as the master turned to Jellal and gave him a nod. Jellal nodded back, then turned around.

“You’ll have to go through me,” the master taunted.

Mizu’s onyx eyes, so much like Natsu’s, turned steely.

“Oh, don’t worry,” she growled. “I was already planning on beating you.”

She looked around, then nodded when it was only the Fairy Tail members and the Master of Oración Seis.

She closed her eyes, screamed, then the awful scream cut off…and they saw nothing. Not until five seconds later, when Mizu softly glowed for a heartbeat. Then it faded. Each pulse of her own heart made that light that shone inside of her go brighter and brighter until it remained, glowing brightly. The normal blue-green of her hair had faded into a silvery white.

Her eyes had magic circles in them, and she raised her hand and pointed at the Master of the Oración Seis. Her face was chillingly blank.

 _“I am the one who Judges, the one who Knows,”_ Mizu said, her voice not bubbly, but…blank. _“I have lived for ages and suffered the wrath of one hundred gods. As the Judge, I Judge all who come before my vessel. Approach, one-who-is-being-judged, and ask.”_

The master seemed to lose all color as he moved forward.

Mizu cocked her head. _“Your heart is cold, one-who-hurts. You have killed with your magic.”_ Erza, Gray, and Natsu all shivered as they _felt_ the disapproval radiating off of Mizu. _“You have wronged many, Brain and Klodoa. To avoid this being done again…I Judge you as the one in the Wrong. You are no longer ‘Brain’ of the Oración Seis. You are simply…existing.”_ Brain collapsed, and Klodoa-the staff-vanished.

Mizu then moved her hand to point at Jellal.

 _“Jellal Fernandes…I will not Judge you, for you were deceived. I will Restore you.”_ A ball of light escaped from Mizu’s forefinger, and when it hit the terrified Jellal, he blinked and looked at Erza.

“I’m so sorry, Erza!” he yelled.

Mizu blinked once. _“Jellal Fernandes, the Council’s memory has been re-made to ensure they know not of your deception. However, I would resign soon…that, or have Cora take your spot. Everything has been explained to that poor girl…and if you lead her on any more, I will Judge you harshly,”_ she said to Jellal in a warning tone.

Jellal nodded, gulping.

Finally, Mizu turned to the three Fairy Tail members.

 _“Erza Scarlet. Gray Fullbuster. Natsu Dragneel.”_ Mizu’s tone was…curious. _“As Mizuza is my current Vessel, you must expect me to come out again. However, I assure you that when I do, none in my presence will remain un-Judged. I had a personal relationship with Mavis…but that does not mean I will give Fairy Tail special treatment.”_ Mizu gave them a soft smile.

Erza immediately held out a sword at Mizu.

“Are you threatening my comrades?” she questioned seriously.

Mizu tilted her head. _“I said I wouldn’t give Fairy Tail special treatment and not Judge them. I never said I’d judge them harshly. I am usually honest in my Judgments.”_

“What’s your name?” Erza asked urgently.

Mizu smiled again as the glow started to die.

_“Sayu. Sayu Vermilion.”_

The glow died out and Mizu collapsed. Erza darted forward in time to catch her.

Natsu had a questioning look on his face.

“What just happened?”

~:~

**With Selene…**

Selene gritted her teeth as the pain in her body returned tenfold. Wendy, who had just appeared with Charle after getting a bit lost, noticed the look.

“Need help?” Wendy offered. Selene darted behind the rock to avoid another one of Ren’s errant moves.

“It would be appreciated,” Selene muttered. Wendy smiled and healed her using her Troia spell.

Selene gasped as Wendy’s magic flowed over her.

She then stood up and patted her little sister on the head and determinedly walked forward…and froze.

Selene screamed as she felt something trying to enter her mind…and it was very, very painful.

Both Midnight and Ren paused as they watched.

~:~

Selene’s body pulsated with magic. Wendy watched as her sister’s screams got cut off, and Selene’s eyes closed.

Wendy gaped as Selene’s body glowed with an ethereal light.

Whispers seemed to float, and Wendy just knew that they were the whispers of the long-dead, the ones who yearned to live through the sisters for a little bit.

Charle looked…scared of Selene.

When Selene opened her eyes, a magic circle with blue edges were in the place of her normal dark blue eyes, and her hair had gone to a shimmering silver-white.

She looked at Midnight with an almost…angry look.

 _“I am the one who Casts the Illusions,”_ she began. _“The One that Judges has appeared. I am the Illusion of Illusions. Approach, one-who-uses-my-magic, and allow me to gaze in your soul to seek your worthiness.”_

Wendy blinked.

She knew this one.

The One who Casts the Illusions…the Illusion of Illusions…

These were the dead Conduits who had died here.

One other died here in this forest.

The One who Taught the First…

Wendy had a feeling that ‘the One that Judges’ had given out a severe punishment, and had by executed here because of it. ‘The One who Casts the Illusions’ referred to one Conduit who had mastered the art of using illusions so real you could touch the illusion. She had also been executed here.

But these weren’t simply restless spirits, especially the One who Taught the First.

‘The One who Taught the First’ referred to the mother of all Conduits. Her energy still permeated the forest.

Sayu, Miya, and Sori.

The Judge, the Illusionist, and the Mother.

Wendy had read about all of them. The Mother had died first, then Miya, then Sayu. Mavis-their sister-had gone into hiding.

All Conduits were descended from the Mother.

Wendy walked out from her hiding place and timidly called Miya’s name.

“Miya!”

Selene/Miya turned and looked at Wendy.

_“Do not worry, descendant. I will not take his gift away. I wish only to see what he can do, and perhaps stop him from harming others in the future.”_

Wendy gulped a little.

“Um…no, I was actually worried about Selene,” she said, blinking.

Selene/Miyu raised a puzzled brow.

 _“My descendants will never be harmed by Mavis, Sayu, or I using them as Vessels.”_ Selene/Miya turned back to Midnight. _“I will merely be placing a suggestion inside of this one’s mind to do good and not evil. His choice. If he does evil…”_ Miya didn’t continue.

Charle tugged on Wendy’s dress as Miya touched Midnight’s forehead.

“What, Charle?”

“If there’s three that were executed in the forest and one of them is the Mother of all Conduits, then where is Akira?”

Wendy stopped, horrified at the thought.

Miya looked alarmed, too.

_“Mother’s not going to be happy…”_

For the love of Kami, were all fully-registered guilds like this?!

~:~

**With Akira**

Akira was a little dazed. She’d felt something other than Aza take over her as she’d come down to punch Cobra…and now there was a terror-filled Cobra _and_ Laxus on the ground in front of her.

“What happened?” she asked, and with that one little sentence, all of her energy left her. She fell, Laxus catching her just in time.

“You okay?” he asked gruffly.

Akira smiled a little.

“Don’ know…” she slurred, forgetting to enunciate the ‘t’. “Tired. Sleep.” Blackness crushed her.

~:~

Laxus had never seen such power before.

Not even Fairy Law had done this.

Not-Akira had spoken about the harshness of the Magic Council and what they’d do to her if they ever found out that Conduits still existed. If they knew that the Conduits were allowed into Fairy Tail…they’d make Zeref seem like a tame kitten.

With that thought, the Mother had faded from Akira’s body, only stating her title.

Laxus gingerly held the unconscious female Conduit/dragon slayer as he and Cobra walked to where they could hear Lucy and Angel-the Oración Seis Celestial mage-fighting.

~:~

**With Lucy**

“I’ll give you anything-except my keys!” Lucy shouted. Gemini’s face twisted in anger.

“Then I’ll take your life,” Angel easily said. “Gemini, finish her off!”

Gemini held Caelum, who…was envious. Gemini felt…the same.

Then, as they were using Lucy’s visage, they both heard a child’s voice.

“ _I love Celestial Spirits!”_

_“They don’t want to let you go, Leo!”_

“We hear a voice,” Gemini said, tears falling down her face. “We envy her spirits!”

The chisel spirit hummed, clearly agreeing with Gemini.

Angel scoffed, clearly unable to tell Caelum’s agreement as she banished Gemini back to the Celestial world.

“Caelum, finish her off,” Angel ordered.

Hibiki went behind Lucy and used his hyper-magic to teach Lucy a very powerful spell.

Urano Metria.

Lucy felt the magic coursing through her. She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, gold magic circles were shining in them as she chanted the Urano Metria spell.

**_Survey the Heaven, Open the Heaven..._ **

**_All the stars, far and wide…_ **

**_Show me thy appearance…_ **

**_With such shine._ **

**_O Tetrabiblos…_ **

**_I am the ruler of the stars..._ **

**_Aspect became complete..._ **

**_Open thy malevolent gate._ **

**_O 88 Stars of the heaven..._ **

**_Shine!_ **

**_Urano Metria!_ **

The Celestial planets bombarded Angel.

Angel screamed as Caelum was sent back to the Celestial world.

Lucy blinked and found that she remembered every detail-probably a perk of being an Aware Conduit. In another life she might’ve forgotten it.

Lucy limped over to Angel and looked down at the crying Celestial wizard.

“They aren’t tools,” Lucy said quietly. She held out her hand for Angel. “They feel emotions too.”

Angel’s eyes filled with tears at the kindness of Lucy Heartfilia.

Instead of taking the hand, though, Angel grabbed her key ring.

Lucy shook her hands.

“I don’t want your keys.”

“It’s part of being a Celestial wizard,” Angel whispered. “I lost. You get my keys.”

Angel held them out to Lucy again. Lucy hesitantly took them.

“I think,” Angel whispered, “I’ll try being good.”

Lucy smiled a little.

“You should,” she said, falling back into the stream right next to Angel. “Especially since you’re a Conduit.”

Angel tensed.

“How…what? No,” Angel denied.

Lucy laughed. “Yeah, you are. An Aware one, at least. Your master probably coerced you into joining so that you didn’t have to be wherever you were at-and so that he’d have a powerful, unlimited source of magic to steal from once you Awakened.”

“Are you going to turn me in?” Angel helplessly asked.

Lucy laughed again. “Nope. I’m one too, so I’d have to give away the fact that I could become one.”

Angel sighed.

“I guess we aren’t that different after all.”

Both stared at the clouds.

“I guess not,” Lucy said at last.

~:~

The exhausted and beat-up groups came together, everyone eyeing the former Oración Seis warily.

Racer and Hoteye seemed to have renounced their ways and decided to skedaddle soon after the convergence of the five guilds together. Cobra, Cubellios, and Midnight soon left together too, both of the humans deciding to change their looks-but use the same alias-to get into a legal guild, Cubellios seeming to agree with whatever Cobra said. Angel left, with a promise to Lucy that she’d visit Fairy Tail in a few months when she changed her looks and behavior.

Brain and Klodoa were all that was left, and they were in no shape to do much of anything.

As for Laxus and Akira, they both left the area together-Laxus supporting the mostly-unconscious Akira. Laxus technically wasn’t supposed to help the Fairy Tail people, but it reflected that his attitude as a mage had changed.

As for the little Conduit problem, that was solved when Selene had bluntly said, “If you and your guilds joined with Fairy Tail, you must know by now Master Makarov’s decision to support Conduits. Mizu, Akira, and I are Conduits, along with Lyra Fierce. If you have a problem with that, kill us now.”

They decided to support Fairy Tail, no matter how troublesome it was.

When the army showed up, fully armed and ready to take the dangerous criminals, they found the four guilds-Lamia Scale, Blue Pegasus, Caitshelter, and Fairy Tail-‘s representatives beat up severely but only two people (Klodoa could count as a person, although he’s more like just a lacrima that just sits there in a skull on a stick and spouts evil words) with them.

“One person did this? And what about the others?” Lahar demanded.

Erza shrugged. Jellal paled at seeing the army, but only hid behind Natsu.

“It was all an elaborate illusion,” Erza said, frowning. “This man, named Brain, created intricate illusions based off of real-life things. I apologize for this mess.”

Natsu sniggered. Erza actually apologized?

Lahar paled when he saw Erza’s menacing look to Natsu.

“Something funny, Natsu?” Erza questioned dangerously.

“No, ma’am,” Natsu and Gray squeaked, Gray out of habit, Natsu out of obvious necessity.

Erza nodded. “I thought so.”

“I understand. Thank you for taking take of this,” the military man stated.

He spotted two pale and…very familiar girl.

“Mizuza, Selinia. Where’s your triplet?”

Selinia spoke up.

“Elsewhere,” she said through gritted teeth.

Lahar’s eyes narrowed to slits.

“Careful, girls,” he said in a warning tone.

Erza re-equipped into her Heavenly Armor.

“Are you threatening members of Fairy Tail?” the Titania questioned with hard eyes.

Jellal’s imposing figure stood next to her.

“I might be able to talk my brother into giving you a raise,” he invited. Lahar stiffened.

Wendy even stood up for the two.

“I wouldn’t hurt my sisters, if I were you.”

Charle just steadily stared at the officer.

The moment was ruined by Happy.

“Would you like a fish, sir?” he questioned Lahar, who looked a little shocked and repulsed about the dead fish eyes staring glassily up at him.

He shook his head.

“Thank you,” he managed to say stiffly. “We’ll take our leave.” He turned away and motioned for the army to go back, Brain and Klodoa in separate wheel-able cage things, magic-suppressing cuffs on them (though they had to tape the cuffs on Klodoa). He himself was about to leave when he turned back to the two Conduit siblings.

“Is being in Fairy Tail helping you with the happenings in Enca?”

Selene stiffened.

Lahar stared at her with a _knowing_ look.

Then he turned and left.

Erza turned to Selene.

“What does he mean, ‘helping you with the happenings in Enca’?” She demanded.

Selene was white.

“I think,” she whispered, “he’s one of the people that helped the rest of the Conduits find safe havens in Pergrande.”

Erza gave her an odd look.

Selene rolled her eyes.

“There are a lot of magic users-even more than Fiore-in Pergrande,” she explained, regaining her color a bit.

Erza nodded, satisfied with the explanation.

“Now,” Mizu said, making everyone turn to her, “I think we have to go and tell Caitshelter Nirvana hasn’t been activated. Yet.”

Erza was also satisfied with that.

~:~

“I’m sorry for the deception, young Wendy,” the master of Caitshelter said sadly.

Wendy started to cry.

“Please keep the Caitshelter mark,” he said, his eyes saddened. “It would show others that no matter what…you are a true Nirvit.”

Wendy nodded, her tears streaking down her face.

The only Nirvit in existence turned to Erza and the others.

“Please, take Wendy and Charle. The books and clothing shall remain. They have magic on them so that you will never lose them, they will never wear and tear, and they will always fit each of those who take them.” He began to fade. “Good-bye, Wendy Marvell.”

“Master!” Wendy cried, trying to reach her old master.

Selene could only watch with sad eyes.

~:~

Lyra Fierce nervously awaited her cousins. Al had shaken his head at her, obviously amused.

“Akira’s going to kill you.”

“She wouldn’t kill Mizu,” Lyra had retorted. Al had smirked.

“Yeah, but there’s a difference between ‘mildly obsessed and stalking’ and ‘over-obsessed as well as getting-the-guild-mark-on-the-same-place stalking’.” He’d resumed cleaning the cups.

She’d thunked her head on the table top as well as ordering yet another beer, even though she couldn’t exactly get drunk very often or fast because of her metabolism.

The guild’s doors slammed open and the members who’d left re-entered with Akira’s ever-filling suitcase behind them.

They also looked more exhausted than any human being could ever possibly be.

“Did you do the job?” Mira asked.

Mizu gave her a dead look.

“Yes.”

Gray stripped, Juvia had a nosebleed, but Mizu didn’t even look his way.

Gray didn’t even flip out when Cana yelled, “Gray, clothes!”

He just wearily grabbed his clothes.

“What happened?” Macao whispered.

Selene went up to Mira.

“Can you give Wendy and Charle a tattoo each? And please give Wendy her mark on her other shoulder.”

“Of course,” Mira said smoothly. She looked at the worn-out ex-members of Caitshelter. She did as Selene asked.

“And,” Selene said tiredly, turning to face Macao and Wakaba, “we did the job, five members of the Oración Seis fled to do good when the Mother of all Conduits and two of her children possessed Akira, Mizu and I. Oh, and Laxus came and helped Akira out. All we have to worry about now is Tataros and Grimoire Heart.” Her voice was flat.

Lyra felt sad. Then fear-from Poison-pushed her to her feet.

“The Mother? _The Mother?_ Did she possess you?” Lyra asked, partially because Poison was afraid, but mostly because Lyra was so happy to at least know that the Mother still cared enough to possess one of Her children.

“No,” Selene said. “She possessed Akira.”

Lyra’s jaw dropped.

“But…I thought she possessed the firstborn, the protector,” she whispered.

Selene shrugged minutely. “Don’t know.” She sagged into a chair. “Could be a bedtime story. Or it’s because Akira caused that explosion in Enca and protected all of us.”

Makarov-who had happened to pass by at that moment-stopped.

“She was the one who caused those deaths?” he questioned.

Selene looked thoughtful.

“If you want to be technical about it, yes,” she replied. “But if you don’t want to be technical about it, she _obliterated_ sick, sadistic scientists who were operating on Lyra, a great friend of theirs name Lyric, and Akira, and they had no morals and laughed at their pain. Hundreds-no, thousands-were saved when Renna pushed a volatile potion that could have killed _everyone_ into _Akira_ , who had enough of a mind when she basically exploded to keep the ones who were _not_ morally-lacking sadistic scientists who pushed a fricking demon lacrima into hers, Lyra’s, and Lyric’s souls safe.” Selene looked at the master tiredly. “She saved more lives than she obliterated, Master. If she hadn’t…” Selene swallowed painfully. “Every single Conduit would’ve killed themselves.” Her tone made it clear that she was definitely speaking the truth.

Makarov looked…understanding.

“Just so you know,” he said, making Selene look up at him, “Fairy Tail doesn’t kill.” His eyes became hard. “We _obliterate._ I understand Akira’s…situation.” He then frowned. “You have news of Laxus?”

Selene dropped her head.

“I think he found Akira and they’re getting along great with one another,” she said. “He helped us kick the Oración Dos’ butts, so I’m fine with him.”

The doors opened, and Lyra looked to see the remnants of the Rajinshuu standing there.

“We’re back!” Bickslow cheered, and Lyra’s tikis went over and greeted him and his babies.

She avoided looking at him when he looked in her direction.

Al smirked knowingly and she threw him a withering look.

“So, Lyra,” Al said loudly, “where’s the Fairy Tail mark again?”

Lyra went bright red and mumbled, “Onmytongue.”

“What?” Al asked, his voice playful. Lyra sent him a look that, if looks could kill, he’d be a smoking pile of ash.

“On. My. Tongue,” she growled, sticking said tongue out at him.

Selene was immediately wide awake, as was Mizu and Lucy as they scrutinized the tattoo.

“You are so dead when Akira comes home,” they said in unison.

Lyra paled as she thought of the punishments Akira would make happen (as it really hadn’t hit her until then).

_She was in so much trouble when Akira got home._

Then Lucy turned to Mizu and Selene.

“So are you two,” she admonished. At their confused faces, Lucy facepalmed. “You drank _sugared, caffeinated coffee,_ ” she hissed.

Selene and Mizu became white, and they started shivering as they imagined Akira’s punishments.

They instantly got on their knees to Lucy.

“PLEASE HELP US, LU-CHAN!”

Lucy snorted with laughter.

“As if! I don’t want to get on Akira’s bad side! If she’s anything like she was when we were kids, definitely not!” Lucy shuddered at the thought.

Selene shook her head. The other guild members looked on with amusement…until Selene said something that made even Erza shudder a little.

“Nah, she’s worse. If she was like Zeref three times over before, she’s definitely that times six hundred,” she said.

“I doubt that,” snorted Natsu. “Who could be scarier than Erza?”

The Conduits turned faces towards Natsu, their pale faces making the people near them shiver.

“Akira can be,” Selene whispered in a tiny voice. “When we woke her up at any time she was asleep for any reason, if we didn’t have a good reason or some cake, she’d…”

Mizu shuddered.

“You don’t want to know,” Lucy said, her own face pale. “She’s a _nightmare_ when she’s angry! She’s scarier than me when I’m angry!”

Natsu and Gray instinctively flinched. Lucy could get them to shut up with a _glance_ and it took Erza bopping their heads together to behave.

If Akira was scarier than Demon Lucy…

Then _nobody_ wanted to be on the receiving end of her anger.


	14. Lahar's Revelation

Akira was in a good mood when she and Laxus finished training and she’d taught him some moves Adtonitus had taught her. They were currently on their way home and chatting of both his power and her Conduit family. It was a relief for Akira to speak about it to someone; especially someone like Laxus, who seemed to understand her better (at least a little since the Mother had apparently taken over her body. Akira had freaked when it had finally hit her).

“You can’t pack too much power into a single blow, or else you’ll end up running out of power. Me, I can use whatever comes to mind at the moment. If I relied on _saying_ what I was going to do, it could alert my enemy. Same thing with the amount of power. While Conduits never run out of magic power, it makes us more tired every time we use it,” she explained to Laxus.

“Could you keep gaining power from your sister Conduits?” Laxus asked, frowning.

Akira made a face. “Uh, no.” At Laxus’ puzzled look, she sighed but elaborated. “Ever since the Mother, we Conduits already have unlimited magic. We’re literal magical conduits. If, let’s say you did this, you kidnap a Conduit and put a magical collar on her that forces her to bend to your will, then essentially you have an unlimited source of magic power. We could help keep one awake by sacrificing some of our day, but giving magical power to another Conduit is…well, _pointless._ ” A look of understanding came onto Laxus’ face. “When we die, anyone in a fifty foot radius is at risk of death-except other Conduits, of course. Because of Mother’s death, this world has had unlimited magic.”

“’This world’?” Laxus asked.

Akira rolled her eyes. “Conduits can also WorldWalk. I’ve only done it once to our sister system. Don’t ask,” she added. “Anyway, while you could use your lightning automatically, Adtonitus was careful in telling me that using it can attract ‘bad mojo’.” She saw his lack of understanding and sighed. She summoned lightning around her. It crackled. And then Akira grimaced and then stopped the lightning.

“What happened?” Laxus asked her worriedly.

Akira gave him a strained smile. “In using lightning, you borrow from the elements around you. Energy-in its purest form-is neither light nor dark-because it is simply _energy._ Magical residue…that’s another lesson. Just take my advice and don’t use your free-lightning too much-or what would be too much for you. I haven’t used free-lightning very much; that was my second time. Adtonitus taught my sisters and I much about lightning, much like the other dragons who taught us their elements. With the exception of the Jade Dragon, Zirconis, and the other dragons who left by that point, the dragons who taught us, taught us things about magic that they thought we should know. Gajeel Redfox was taught from an early age by Metalicana, my dragon’s mate.” Akira smiled fondly. “He was a real pain then. He’s relatively mild-mannered compared to his younger days.” Her eyes danced mischievously.

“What about your…demon?” Laxus asked hesitantly.

Akira’s eyes danced merrily, not freezing like he’d obviously thought she would. She smiled at him rather than snapping at him.

“Azakarika is…well, you can ask her!” Akira brightly said, and stopped.

The smile slid off of her face. She straightened, and blinked, her green eyes vanishing and red eyes replacing them. Zeref’s symbol was instantly painted on her forehead, making Laxus go wide-eyed.

“Laxus Dreyar,” Azakarika said, her tone cautious. “It’s nice to finally be able to officially meet you.”

~:~

Aza watched as Laxus looked like a deer caught in headlights before just staring at her. She looked ahead, aware of Laxus staring at her some more.

“You do know you almost killed me before, right?” she questioned the male behind her, intently. Laxus nodded, paling a little. She heard and sensed, rather then saw, him nodding and staring at her.

“I do now,” he responded.

“Good,” Aza suddenly hissed, turning to him and jabbing a finger at his chest. “If you had killed me or my host, Lyric’s Ikari and Lyra’s Poison would kill you. Got it, Dreyar? Scratch my demon sisters, Lyric and Lyra would slaughter you if you killed my host. Tell me what your Kami-forsaken mission is with my Aki, or I will end your existence before you can beg for mercy,” she hissed, no longer simply ‘Azakarika’. She was…more. More than Lust, more than Aza. Her eyes burned brighter than ever and Zeref’s symbol seemed to glow. Her now-clawed hand was in the air, a ball of Aza’s magic in her hand.

Laxus looked… _afraid_ of Aza.

“Nothing,” he responded. “She’s just training me!”

The Lust part of her knew his inner desires. He wished to have Akira to himself. His honesty about what he wanted with Akira was…none, but…

Aza closed her eyes and lowered her arm, the magic dissipating as she threw her head back and burst into laughter.

After a few minutes of said laughter, tears streaming down her face and her face surprisingly red from lack of air and her stomach hurting from laughing so hard for those minutes, it started to die down until she was crying; even that stopped pretty quickly.

“I’m sorry,” Aza gasped as Laxus just stared at the demon in Akira’s skin, “it’s just you have the gall to lie to me about what you wanted with Akira.”

~:~

Laxus was…kind of freaked out. Aza had just threatened him and he’d given it a shot, lying to her like that.

Aza just…laughed.

And then she told him what amused her so, and he gulped, expecting to be killed.

Aza’s voice brought him back to his senses.

“I’m not going to kill you, Dreyar. You impress me. However, my threat of Lyra, Lyric-who I dearly hope you meet soon-, Poison, and Ikari all stand.” Aza faced away from him. “Oh, and before I go, Akira knows nothing of this. Just tell her I threatened you, you impressed me, blah blah blah. Honestly, you could tell her I killed the wildlife off in the forest.” Aza shrugged at Laxus’ obviously uncomfortable look. “Oh, and you should probably catch her. Bye, now.” Aza closed her eyes…and promptly collapsed, Laxus just barely catching her.

~:~

Lyric and Renna teleported a few blocks away from a building.

They made sure memories from the people around them were tweaked ever so slightly; they didn’t have to tweak much, just inserting a not-real teleportation mage with them.

Again, not much had been tampered with. Memory mages were the best at unraveling false memories. But in Renna and Lyric’s case, they were doubly safe-they actually had layers of illusions on them.

They walked to the building they were headed to-the building that held the only (slightly) openly-supporting of Conduits guild.

They opened its doors nervously.

They were instantly met with a fight.

The door slammed shut, but nobody paid attention to the Conduits.

Suddenly, a person-a Conduit-came sailing over to them and collided at their feet.

Mizu Soli/Soliana slammed into the ground and saw them.

“HEY, RENNA! HOW’RE YOU DOING?! HEY LYRIC, HOW’S IKARI?!” Mizu yelled, making Lyric wince.

“SHUT UP, YOU STUPID IDIOT!” A pink-haired guy said.

“YOU, YOU BAKA!” Mizu shouted. Both of their fists flamed up.

“NEVER!”

“THEN THAT’S MY ANSWER, TOO!”

“DON’T COPY ME, MIZUSA!”

“Shut the Zeref up, you baka-brained loser!” Mizu yelled, though this time it was at a lower volume. Natsu growled at this.

Too late for both of them to stop. Lyric had had enough.

She used her greatest weapon to shut them all up.

“Kashi ryū no hōkō!” She shouted. Pure _sound_ whirled through the air, vibrating through the air. It wasn’t a tangible thing, so nobody could block against it. Well…not _nobody._

The only ones that actually could block it were sipping tea (Selinia) or reading a book (Lucy and Lyra) or cringing in pain because she was being too immature with her dragon brother (Mizuza).

Mizu looked up at her Conduit sister and pouted.

“Lyra, why are you so mean?” she wailed, causing an irk mark to appear near Renna.

“Mizuza, we came because we finally decided to see if the rumors were true and if Fairy Tail was open to…” Renna hesitated.

Mizu looked toward the bar.

“Hey, Master?” she called, causing the master of Fairy Tail to look up.

“Yes, brat?”

“Can Conduits openly join? You never exactly specified,” Mizu said, frowning.

The master jumped and was in front of Lyric and Renna almost immediately.

“What kind of Conduits are you?” he asked seriously. “Selene has told us there were more types than simply dragon slayer Conduits.”

“I am a dragon slayer, Master Makarov,” Lyric politely said. “I was trained about fourteen, maybe fifteen years before Akira and Lyra. It is…hard to remember.” Lyric looked down, and Renna looked shamed. “I am an Awakened Conduit, if that is the true question you were asking,” she added as an afterthought.

Renna stepped forward. “I am an Awakened and an empathy Conduit, Master Makarov. My expertise is in emotional healing.” Her voice was cool and professional. “I can use both defensive and offensive magic, as Lyric here has been teaching me some of her Dragon Slayer magic. However, I would not be classified anywhere near a Dragon Slayer.”

Lyric and Renna watched, apprehensively, as Makarov seemed to be deep in thought.

“Al!” he suddenly called, making Lyric jump a little. “Come give these two their Fairy Tail marks!”

An attractive man came over to them; but Renna’s voice entered Lyric’s mind.

_He’s in love with the demon woman-I wouldn’t get involved._

Lyric pouted.

_ Damn it! _

Selene started laughing.

Lyric went red.

_ DAMN IT! WHY IS IT ALL OF MY THOUGHTS ARE ALWAYS BROADCASTED?! _

~:~

**Era, the Magic Council**

Lahar was walking into Yajima-san’s room when he heard Yajima snap, “You know that everything you are doing on the Council is putting you at risk, Cora!”

Doranbolt-who was next to him-tilted his head.

“Why? Because I’m a Kami-forsaken-“ the rest of the sentence went unheard by either one of them, but Lahar just _knew._ He turned to Doranbolt abruptly.

“Let’s go get an assignment from Yajima-san.”

Lahar knocked on the door.

Whatever argument that was there was silenced as wind seemed to be heard from behind the door; a harried-looking Cora appeared, bags under her eyes from lack of sleep.

“Ah, Lahar-san, Doranbolt-san. How are you two?” Cora asked with forced politeness.

Both were surprised by the honorifics added to their names, but shrugged it aside, businesslike.

“Cora-sama-“

“Just Cora, please. Would you like to come in?” Cora questioned, but it was more out of politeness than she wanted them in hers and her grandfather’s office.

“Yes,” Lahar said, “if you wouldn’t mind. I have…a sensitive question I’d like to-“

Cora suddenly snickered.

Lahar looked puzzled. “Cora-“

“My apologies, Lahar. Please, come in. You too, Doranbolt. My grandchild’s manners are severely lacking as of late,” an exhausted, yet surprisingly angry-looking, Yajima-san snapped.

Lahar nodded solemnly.

“We need to discuss Fairy Tail.”

Doranbolt looked shocked when the doors shut and locked; both Yajima and Cora looked tense and scared. A girl suddenly appeared and knelt to Cora, who slapped her forehead at the girl’s formality.

“Ultra-measure six hundred ninety-six engaged, Cora-sama.”

“Lana, you don’t have to bow. It’s kind of stupid, and you know we haven’t had the actual formality crap since Arkas died,” Cora crossly stated. Lahar spoke, causing the girl to jump.

“Hello, Lana.”

Lana’s eyes lit up.

“Det er så godt at se dig, da du hjalp redde os, Herre Lahar!” Lana jabbered in her native tongue.

Lahar waved his hand dismissively. “Jeg simpelthen gjorde det , så du og du søstre ikke ville lide , Lana . Tak ikke mig - hvis Avis ikke havde fortalt mig, at jeg nok ikke ville have kendt dig og dine søstres lidelser.” Lana looked shocked.

“Min blod søster, Avis, fortalte dig? Jeg troede Avis hadede mig for at være en ledning. Jeg skal gå. Hjem venter! God eve, Herre Lahar!” Lana beamed, bowing, then nodding at Lahar. She vanished, making everyone look at Lahar (Cora wasn’t, though) because they hadn’t known he spoke some of the Conduit languages (though Doranbolt was Lahar’s newest partner, he barely knew anything of the man-only that he was one of the people involved in the Encan Incident and had been demoted for that fiasco).

“You speak other languages?” Doranbolt questioned in disbelief. The Fierce Konzern had made magic translators when Lady Fierce had just been married to Lord Fierce; that is what had set off the Fierce fortune.

“Of course,” Lahar said, no self-importance in his words.

Most people thought Lahar only wanted to get promoted. While it was true, it was only for the benefit of others; he would not sell out those Conduits that survived and…he sort of supported Fairy Tail.

Sort of.

“Anyway,” Lahar said, “onto business. Cora, what exactly were you arguing with Yajima about?”

Cora cast a wary look at Doranbolt.

Yajima sighed. “If Lahar brought Doranbolt, he’s trustworthy, Cora.” Cora nodded.

“Fine. Yajima-san is worried that my Council seat is putting me in the most danger if any on the Council were to find out that I’m a Conduit,” she flatly said.

Doranbolt froze.

~:~

Doranbolt stared in between the youngest member of the Council, one of the oldest members, and Lahar.

“Tell me you’re joking,” Doranbolt said hoarsely.

Lahar looked at him, a small smirk on his face.

“I got demoted because of the Encan Incident…and because I ‘neglected to bring back the Conduits in the facility’. They don’t know that I actually participated in _helping_ the Conduits get homes around the world in magic-friendly countries.”

Doranbolt’s entire perspective of Lahar changed.

“You…devious ass!” he breathed. He was definitely stunned.

“Cora, does he have ill intentions towards you or your many sisters?” Lahar questioned.

Cora looked at Doranbolt. Doranbolt himself was speechless.

He’d never thought of Conduits as evil as the Council had said; in fact, he’d thought that since Conduits are always female, the male members of the Council were really biased.

“Nah, he couldn’t really care less. Just makes me seem hotter,” she said with a blush on her cheeks.

Doranbolt winked at her. “You know it, baby.”

Cora set one hand on her hip. “Just FYI, if you do decide on telling anyone about us, I’ll kick your ass from here to next year. And I have two demonic-“ she paused. Her eyes went a bit unfocused. “ _Wow,_ Lyric has one too?” Her eyes refocused. “Actually, I have _three_ dragon slayer sisters who also have demons from the Book of Zeref imbedded inside their bodies, so if you ever rat us out, you know who’s coming to get you.” She winked at him.

Doranbolt gulped. “How…dangerous are they?”

Cora looked thoughtful.

“You know Deliora’s wrath?” Doranbolt nodded. He’d heard of Deliora being killed by an Ice Make wizard. “Think five times that. That’s Ikari’s-the youngest, and in Lyric’s body-power level on a normal, calm day. Double that if you want an annoyed Ikari, and double _that_ if you want an ultra-pissed Ikari. Triple Ikari’s pissed power and you get Poison’s-the oldest, and in Lyra’s body-power level on a calm day. Double that if you want an annoyed Poison, and double that if you want Poison’s ultra-pissed power level.”

“What about the third?” Lahar asked after Cora went quiet.

“Oh, Azakarika? She’s the middle child, and I tell you…combine all of Ikari’s and Poison’s powers-on all three of their good, annoyed, and ultra-pissed power levels-and you get a calm Aza. Triple that? An annoyed Aza. Triple _that?_ A mad Aza. Double that is her ultra-pissed form. Doranbolt, she’s like…almost Zeref-like. But hey, there’s no need to worry…unless Akira’s pissed, which is even _scarier_ , from what I’ve heard in my community.” Lahar and Doranbolt were stone. “Yeah…that and their period.” Cora said it casually.

Doranbolt was afraid to ask.

“How...powerful are they when they are on their period?”

“They could possible destroy a country,” Cora nonchalantly said.

“Which one?” Yajima asked cautiously.

“Pergrande,” was her reply.

Yajima fainted. Something that looked suspiciously like his soul floated out of Doranbolt, while Lahar regained his color to tell Cora something.

~:~

“Why didn’t you tell me?” Lahar demanded. “About Akira.”

Cora looked at him nervously, wringing her hands. Lahar didn’t know why she was nervous in front of him now; she was one of his superiors and had been since she’d been promoted to the Magic Council as the official tiebreaker.

“Obviously, I didn’t want you turning her in,” she snapped. “Even if I had told you, would you have allowed her to stay hidden? No.” She was red for some reason he couldn’t identify. “Please, Lahar, please convince Doranbolt to keep us a secret.”

“Block his mind from being read,” Lahar decided. “If he decides-against his will-to betray you, he’ll probably wonder why the Gran Doma couldn’t read his mind when he didn’t want to tell.” Lahar cast his eyes down. “If the Gran Doma does figure this out…we’re worse than dead.”

Cora nodded solemnly. “Possibly,” she agreed. “But if it is to save a new generation of Conduits, it’s a cause I’m willing to die for.” Showing bravery in spite of the fact that they were all going to die…most likely. And that was the _best_ case scenario.

Lahar knew one thing. After a six-year undercover operation in Enca, he’d been changed. He’d heard a lot of things and done even worse things, all simply to gain a title. He’d seen something that could never be unseen. He was definitely not a fool, not like he was when he was nineteen and had killed… _her._ It had been eighteen years (not to that day) that Lahar had met… _her_ when he’d just turned nineteen. She’d been seventeen (she’d also been _married,_ so that was also another thing Lahar was kind of angry about. He’d never told her former husband of the affair he’d had with her; the Solianas were…strange).

But over everything, he’d never seen bravery from another Conduit…other than in Akira. In all the cases he’d seen…he’d only ever seen Akira with bravery. Now, as he looked at Cora, he knew that Conduits weren’t bad…some may be misguided, but not all were bad. And if Cora was willing to die…he would bet that Akira was even more willing to sacrifice hers.

He remembered the first time he’d met Akira…

~:~

**ENCA, TWO YEARS AGO (Before Encan Incident [BEI])**

A man with glasses entered Subjects Lust, Lyre, and Music’s room, simply to monitor them.

He saw Renna Okubyōmono, Ren Okubyōmono’s sister-and a Conduit-softly talking to the three subjects. He was Lahar, someone sent undercover for the Magic Council.

When Lahar entered, Renna dropped into a hasty bow.

“Sir, I was simply monitoring the Subjects’ labels.” Lahar snorted.

“Don’t BS me,” he coolly said. “I know you were talking to them, I saw you.”

Renna flinched. Lahar raised his hand to slap her…and was stopped by Subject Lust.

“If you hit her, I’ll kick your ass.” It was a tired and weak voice, but Lahar stopped anyway to look at the drugged Conduit just lying there.

“You can’t even move,” he said, stating the obvious.

SL (Subject Lust) just raised an eyebrow.

“Try me,” she stated in a deadly quiet tone. “I swear I will end you if you even try to hurt her.”

“You’ll die trying,” Lahar said, knowing he could snap the girl’s neck in an instant.

SL smiled tiredly. “Then it will be for a good cause. _Tá sí mo dheirfiúr, tá mé dá cuid. Go deo na ndeor, táimid fós._ ” Lahar knew what that meant. One Conduit who’d killed herself in the fields had cried out that sentence. It was the Conduit way of life. One thousand field overseers had died that day. No Conduits had died-instead, they’d revolted and broken into the houses where the normal people slaved away making food the normal way. Few Conduits had escaped alive, but all of the non-Conduit mages and normal humans had been taken.

Something was brewing, something big.

Lahar finally sighed and broke the girl’s gaze. Defiance was usually the worst.

He decided to go ahead and hit Renna.

The room went deathly silent.

“I told you,” SL snarled in an amazingly strong voice, “I’d end you.”

Lahar froze. That voice…

 _No. She cannot be alive!_ Lahar said firmly.

SL stood above him, menacingly.

“Any who hurt my friends will die,” she announced, cracking her knuckles.

Lahar’s eyes went wide.

“Who are you?” he demanded.

“My name is Akirakaza Soliana,” was her even reply.

 _Soliana…impossible._ “Soliana is dead,” he said harshly. Soliana…his beloved…who’d only given him her last name, saying it wouldn’t be possible for him to know her first. She would die as a year with him passed.

And he’d seen her killed…by his own hand…carrying _his_ child after living with him for an entire year. Fifteen years ago, he’d killed her. Sixteen years ago, he’d met her.

“Yeah, my last name is Soliana, jerk,” she growled.

Lahar was almost afraid to ask.

“How old are you?”

“Nearly fifteen. I was just turning fourteen when they caught us. Another day and I would’ve been fourteen, why?” Akirakaza asked.

Lahar was frozen. “Does your mother…does she look like this?” He pulled out a picture. Renna was staring at him…knowingly.

Akirakaza scowled. “Yes! Why does it matter?!”

Lahar shook his head. “Never mind. Just…I’m sorry.” He turned away, ready to leave, when he stopped and said one more thing. “I swear to you, I will help you to get out.”

He left.

His last thoughts-before dismissing all thoughts of the Soliana woman he’d loved and the Soliana in the room behind him and replacing the picture back inside its secret spot in his lab coat-were, _Why would she lie to me? And why did she name her child Akirakaza when it was a preferred choice for a second child and not only one?_

He again became professional as he left the ward, but Akira…she was much braver than anyone he’d ever known/will know.

~:~

TRANSLATIONS:

**_If not specified what language the translations are in, assume it’s Japanese. If it’s not, it will be specified in parenthesis ( ) after the English translation. By the way, I used Google Translate so please forgive me if I am incorrect in the non-English translation._ **

_Kashi ryū no hōkō-roar of the lyric dragon (Lyric’s mother taught her two: a lyric roar and a sound roar)_

_Det er så godt at se dig, da du hjalp redde os, Herre Lahar-_ _It's so good to see you since you helped rescue us, Lord Lahar! (Danish)_

_Jeg simpelthen gjorde det , så du og du søstre ikke ville lide , Lana . Tak ikke mig - hvis Avis ikke havde fortalt mig, at jeg nok ikke ville have kendt dig og dine søstres lidelser- I simply did it so that you and you sisters would not suffer, Lana. Do not thank me-if Avis had not told me I probably would not have known about you and your sisters' sufferings. (Danish)_

_Min blod søster , Avis , fortalte dig ? Jeg troede Avis hadede mig for at være en ledning . Jeg skal gå . Hjem venter! God eve , Herre Lahar !-_   _My blood sister, Avis, told you? I thought Avis hated me for being a Conduit. I must go. Home awaits! Good eve, Lord Lahar!_

_Tá sí mo dheirfiúr, tá mé dá cuid. Go deo na ndeor, táimid fós.-_ _She is my sister, I am hers. Forever and ever, we remain. (Irish)_


	15. A Conduit Death and Edolas, Part 1

"So what exactly are we doing today?" Akira cheerfully asked Laxus.

"A man by the name of Lahar wants to meet with you," Laxus replied, noticing the color draining from Akira's face. "What's wrong?"

Akira shook her head. "Nothing," she said, being terribly unconvincing. Laxus decided not to push.

"If you say so," he replied. "Anyway, he wants to meet with you alone in a clearing not far from here, so I should-"

"No, please stay," Akira said suddenly. "Don't leave me alone with him."

Laxus eyed her carefully.

"You know him," he stated.

Akira nodded, hanging her head. It'd almost been an entire month. Both of them were slowly opening up to each other, but Laxus knew Akira would go back to Fairy Tail, especially since he'd started hearing vague rumors of Conduits there. She'd probably scold them for not being 'low-key'. For some reason, he didn't want Akira to leave him there, all alone. "Where did you meet him?"

"Enca," she replied. "He was a jerk to Renna and asked me all sorts of questions while Renna just stood there staring at him. I think she knows something I don't, but I'll have to ask her later." She shrugged, but the unspoken addition to her statement hung there. 'If I live long enough to go back.'

~:~

Akira walked to the clearing Laxus was leading her to, deep in thought.

As she was the only Earth Dragon Slayer in existence, she obviously felt at home in her element. She could beat Lahar any day, so she wasn't worried about that.

She wanted to know just WHAT Lahar wanted from her! And...if she was honest with herself, she was TERRIFIED of Lahar outing her.

Listening to the forestry around her, she almost missed Lahar's entrance.

"Akira," he said, scaring the heiress. She yelped and leapt onto Laxus' back, who threw her off just as fast.

"Sorry, Laxus," she said quietly, out of character for her. She turned a glare onto Lahar. "What do you want?" Her tone was hostile, yet scared. Strong, yet submissive.

Enough to make Laxus frown and shift on his feet. He grabbed his soundpods out and put them on.

Akira took a deep breath. "What is it you wanted, Lahar?"

"The night we met," he said immediately. Akira tensed. "I know you have two siblings. Are you the firstborn?"

A snort came from Akira. "Why would you care? Not like it'd make much of a difference on my part. No, I'm the middle child. Selene came first." She wondered why he asked her that. She thought he'd already known this stuff. He was in the army, after all.

Lahar was frozen.

"Selinia, Akirakaza, and Mizuza. Am I correct?"

"So what if you are, Lahar? I know you didn't come here simply to address the fact that I have sisters," she sneered.

Lahar looked at her, a troubled look in his eyes.

 "Ask your mother; it wouldn't be right if I told you." He went to walk away before he turned back to her. "And Magnolia...it's gone."

Akira let one of her eyebrows raise. "Seriously? Magnolia's gone? Like...how gone?"

Lahar sighed. "I mean, gone as in 'it is no longer on the map', Miss Soliana!"

"How can a town disappear?!" Akira screamed at Lahar, who'd just turned away.

"Ask your friend Mystogan," was his reply.

Akira threw up her hands as Lahar vanished. "MEN ARE SO DAMNED ANNOYING!" she yelled, punching the air.

~:~

Laxus watched with interest as Akira's hand disappeared. When it reappeared, Mystogan came with it.

He took off his soundpods, wondering just how scary Akira could be when not a vessel for her...Mother.

Turns out, quite scary indeed.

"Listen to me, you weird, cloth-obsessed dude, you will tell me where Fairy Tail and my sisters are or there will be consequences," she hissed menacingly. She shook him like a rag doll and her dragon fangs were out...and her eyes seemed to be switching colors, from green to red.

"Edolas," Mystogan said calmly. "You could say I am the Edolas version of Jellal Fernandes. I am from that world." Laxus smirked as Akira's skin became all dragon-like.

"Are my sisters there?" She demanded softly, her voice eerily calm.

"Yes, as well as a Conduit who was born there. Magic is finite there; Conduit magic is welcome."

Akira's eyes widened as she dropped Mystogan.

"Of course, Raven isn't simply just a Conduit; she's the only Conduit born there." He seemed sad about that.

Akira's eyes dimmed sorrowfully. "Edolas...that sounds familiar..." she suddenly went pale. "Oh, crap. I have to go...I have an idea about how to solve the 'no magic' problem you have there."

Mystogan shook his head. "We've tried everything-"

Akira's eyes flashed in anger. "No, you haven't." Her voice chilled the air. "Have you killed Raven?"

"No," Mystogan snarled. Akira placed a hand on her hip. "You are NOT killing Raven-"

"I wasn't planning on it, you baka!" Akira yelled, in his face. "I wouldn't kill a sister of mine! Conduit or blood! Kami, what do you think I am, a monster?!" Akira sighed. "Conduits who are killed release everlasting magic. We will always give back to the planet what is owed to it, aye, but what I'm suggesting is that Raven help me and my sisters pull the energy from one Conduit who died here to your world. Magic would be everlasting, Raven lives, and we all go home happy. Capische?"

Laxus shifted and cleared his throat, catching their attention.

"I'll go with you," He said gruffly to Akira, who smiled at him.

"Thanks, Laxus!" Laxus 'tch'-ed and looked away, slightly embarassed. "Just don't pass out. I'm going to pass through the otherworldly gate and...well," Akira smirked a bit. "It might be a bit difficult to get you AND Mystogan to come through, but I think that if I contact Cora she'll help me." Akira closed her eyes.

A brilliant white light-similar to the Mother's possesion of Akira-enveloped Akira, but when she opened her eyes Laxus flinched to see nothing but a circular green outline indicating that her eyes were still there. No pupil, no iris. Just that outline.

Akira looked directly at Laxus. He blinked, not expecting the next thing that happened.

She kissed him. Full-on-the-mouth kiss.

For several seconds, he just stood there. As Akira was about to move away, he stopped the teenage girl from doing so and kissed her back. He knew he shouldn't be doing this, but she'd been tempting him the moment he'd allowed the younger female to enter his home!

Mystogan cleared his throat when Laxus started running his hands under Akira's shirt.

"Weren't we leaving?"

Akira moved away, grinning triumphantly. "Yes." Her voice echoed. "Let's go kick some Edolas ass!"

Laxus cleared his throat and nodded. "Yes, let's. I'm tired of waiting."

~:~

Raven Sorcière stopped walking with her lover. Blinking a few times, she spotted Erza Knightwalker showing her concern.

Erza Knightwalker rarely showed open emotion to anyone, let alone Raven, but ever since they'd gotten together as a couple Erza had been more open to Raven. After all, Raven was really only attracted to Erza and nobody else.

"Raven, what's wrong?" Erza questioned. Raven shook her head dazedly.

"I think some of my sisters have finally arrived here," Raven breathed, noting Erza's suddenly hard look. "Erza, you know how I feel about that. You are not killing them." Raven could read minds; that was her main power. However, she did other things as well. Raven preferred NOT to read anyone's mind, as she felt it was intrusive. She just knew her lover as well as her lover knew her. "I think one of them has an idea about saving magic here, but I don't know if Faust will..." Raven trailed off as the other army memebers appeared. Erza may have been loyal to the king, but dating a Conduit was probably forbidden enought to warrant a death sentence, even if you were one of the King's favored generals.

Erza nodded. "I think I know what you mean. First, though, we must stop those fairy thorns." She sneered when she said 'fairy'.

Raven sighed as the other generals-save Pantherlily-agreed.

"Pantherlily," she greeted cordially. The tall Exceed nodded at her.

"Raven." Pantherlily turned away.

Raven turned around to hide a smile as she felt her sisters; magic in Edolas would be saved and the prince would return to them.

Hopefully Raven wouldn't die.

"Come," Erza said. "We have a hit on where the fairy thorns are."

 

Raven shrugged. "Count me out. King Faust wanted me to check on our prisoners." She grimaced. Apparently theree were two new prisoners.

Erza shrugged. "So be it. Let us go."

The others left, Pantherlily glancing behind him briefly. Raven hoped he didn't catch the calculating look on her face.

That would be regrettable-for him, at least.

~:~

SOMEWHERE IN FIORE, EARTHLAND

 

A woman looked at a man, disgust on her face for some reason.

Lady Soliana was in a terrible mood. Her 'husband' would not stop ranting about her children to anyone who would listen; finally, all that was left at their terrible party was Lady Fierce and Lord Heartfilia.

"Oh, would you just shut up?!" Lady Soliana yelled. Lord Soliana stopped, anger flashing on his face.

"How dare you disrespect me like that, woman!" he boomed. He raised his hand and then brought it down.

Suddenly, Akira stood before them, her eyes open...but they were white with only a circular green shape to indicate where her pupil and iris should have been.

"How dare you try to hit my mother, you pathetic and insolent mortal," the Conduit girl said, her voice brooking no argument. "You are lucky I am not here in true body and can not stop you myself." Her voice turned chilly. "Nonetheless, you've just pissed me off...Father." Her voice dropped to a mere whisper. "You ever lay a hand on my mother, and I'll be certain that my ancestor judges you." With wide eyes, both Lady Fierce and Lady Soliana looked at each other, horror and shock in their faces. "And Mom, why does Lahar say I need to ask you why he asked me if I was your second kid?"

Lord Heartfilia, Lady Fierce, and Lord Soliana all looked at the pale woman.

"Maybe...because Lord Soliana isn't your father?" Lady Soliana tried.

Everyone-apart from Lord Soliana-stared at Lady Soliana.

"What?" Akira whispered.

Lady Soliana closed her eyes. "Lord Soliana and I were never meant to be. We have never married...in fact, we don't even sleep in the same room." Lady Soliana and Lord Soliana glared at each other. "In fact, I'm called a bastard child. My father was the old king of Fiore while my mother was Lord Soliana's aunt. I recieved the Soliana name to protect myself. You're still an heiress, I can assure you of that. I am the one who made the idea of making weapons for the army...but when I met Lahar, he was my lover. When he found out I was a Conduit, a day before yours and your sisters' birth...he tried to kill me, as I had basically warned him he would." Lady Soliana frowned. "He is your father, though."

Akira closed her eyes. She became blurry, then solid.

She opened them again, their eeriness striking them all once more as she turned to Lord Soliana.

"Forget about any relative, by blood or by marriage...forget about every Conduit you've ever met's status as a Conduit." Power exploded out of her as she turned a furious gaze onto Lord Heartfilia. "And if you ever disrespect Lucy again..." her tone was warning enough. "Tell no-one about our Conduit status or else three demons from the Book of Zeref will come and kick your ass." Akira waited for him to nod. Jude nodded. Akira clapped. Lord Soliana vanished and Jude blinked. "I have to go, I'm going to another world. See ya." She vanished.

Lady Soliana smiled at Lady Fierce and Lord Heartfilia. "Want a drink?"

~:~

EDOLAS

 

Akira, Laxus, and Mystogan all entered Edolas...and spotted Natsu, Wendy, Charle, and Happy all standing in front of a look-alike Fairy Tail guild.

"Natsu, Wendy, Happy, Charle!" Akira called, waving her hand at the four stading there.

Wendy and Charle turned. They saw Mystogan standing there and waved. "Hey Akira, guy-in-the-clothes, and sick-looking guy!"

Akira smirked as she turned to Laxus. Her eyes had returned to normal, thank the Kamis. "I told you, interworld/interdimensional travel is very...disorienting to many people. I can also travel through time, but...I can't do it very often, which often means I'm stuck wherever I'm at for a couple days." Akira frowned, then smiled. "Shall we continue on?"

"I...think I can heal Laxus," Wendy said. Mystogan shook his head.

"You cannot use magic in Edolas."

"Uh...what Mystogan said," Akira said hastily.

A bit too hastily, as Charle looked at Akira dubiously.

"I have a feeling you aren't telling us something." Akira looked reluctant.

"Grandine told us not to tell you, and I have to respect her wishes." Akira's tone brooked no argument.

"Can't Conduits create other Conduits?" Mystogan asked, staring at Akira intently.

Akira growled. "ENOUGH! I have said more than enough. I will speak of this no longer." There was a dangerous edge to her voice that took them all by surprise. "I have a code to live by, and it is my personal code of honor. I will respect Grandine's wishes until such a time is necessary to tell. Understand?"

Wendy looked shaken.

"Sorry, Akira-san."

Akira shook her head. "Don't be. You didn't know."

Wendy nodded. "Is there any other way?"

"Let Laxus ride it out. I have to cast a small spell." Akira raised her hand and a magic circle came out of it. " _Magia conductele: Arată gandurile tale, oh oameni de Edolas. Arată-mi cele care sunt diferite_." Everyone watched as a single outline of a circle-the same one that had appeared in her eyes-appeared from her hands. Akira looked a little shocked, then closed her eyes and tilted her head back. "There are different versions of most of us...AND I'M A PATHETIC LOSER! So are you, Natsu," Akira added with a grimace. Natsu glared at Akira. "Oh, and our Selene and Mizu don't exist here in a different version; I'm surprised. They are, however, actually here, in Edolas, I just can't pinpoint them...and Lucy-both Lucys-are in the guild in front of us."

Wendy blinked. "What about Lyric and Renna?"

Akira opened her eyes to give Wendy a confused look. "Of course they aren't here...did they seriously join Fairy Tail?!" Akira's irritation was obvious.

Suddenly, she dropped the circle. "I have to go in. Maybe I can convince my yakuza-born cousin that I'm their Akira and have brought back strays."

Laxus groaned.

Akira sighed and whispered, "Troia." Laxus was healed quickly. With that, the Conduit entered the fake Fairy Tail guild. Alone.

~:~

EDOLAS ROYAL CITY

 

Lyric was already tired of being confined to jail cells, especially with her magic virtually unaccessible with the weird bands on her hands. Though, she supposed, the cell she was in could be considered a dungeon since it was obviously built inside a palacial structure.

A girl suddenly appeared. "Raven!" A guard said, terrified of this girl. Lyric raised an eyebrow.

"I've been ordered by King Faust to speak with these, and ordered by the Queen Exceed to follow King Faust's command. Unless, of course, you want to disregard the queen of the angels' ruling." Her tone was silky smooth. Lyric exchanged a look with Renna. That tone was an OBVIOUSLY forced tone.

"NO, SIR!" They yelled, saluting her.

"Then go get some lunch," she snarled, tossing some money at the guard.

He caught it and nodded dutifully.

As soon as they were gone, the girl turned to Lyric and Renna, curiosity in her eyes.

"Are you two really Earthland Conduits?"

Lyric blinked.

"Yeah..." she responded. The girl gasped.

"I'm Raven Sorcière, the only Conduit born in Edolas. It's nice to meet you!"

Lyric frowned. "Lyric Akaya. This is Renna Okubyōmono."

Raven grinned at her. "It's actually an honest pleasure meeting you. If only Erza would allow me to uncage you...perhaps I could convince King Faust for you to be my pets, but you wouldn't actually be...no," Raven sighed. "I want to get you out of here."

Lyric looked at Renna. "Well, there is a way for us to escape, and all it calls for is us knocking the guards out and kidnapping you."

Raven snorted. "Erza would kill you both."

"You know this world better than we," Renna said, speaking for the first time. "You tell this world's Erza our plan if you think you can trust her. This plan isn't faultless, but it's better than nothing."

Raven nodded, conceding this. "All right. I'll be back. When you feel me, it'll be time."

Renna smiled...then swore as she saw Lyra, Selene and Mizu.

"More prisoners?" Raven asked icily. The guards trembled, but weren't looking at her.

"King Faust has demanded all Conduits to be imprisoned upon sight, my lady Raven."

Raven swallowed. Quickly, she demanded a pad of paper and scrawled something upon it.

She then ripped the piece of paper out and it would appear to Erza soon. Only Erza and Pantherlily would be able to read it...unless Pantherlily's allegiance was to the king.

~:~

Erza Knightwalker cursed when she missed the Fairy Tail hideout. Again.

A small flash of light appeared, a note settling near her.

A soft smile appeared on Erza K.'s face as she realized her love had written to her, but it quickly stopped when she saw the detailed outlines of...a completely INSANE plan.

"Um, Lady Knightwalker? Why are there two people standing outside the former flies' hall?"

Erza's head snapped up. Indeed, two people stood there, one with clothes covering his entire body and another who was just glaring at the clothed man. And they were both arguing.

"I don't think Akira would be too pleased if you went and got yourself killed," the one in clothes said, sounding perfectly reasonable.

"I'm not doing this for Akira, I'm doing this for my guild!" retorted the man.

Suddenly the clothed guy turned to see Erza K.

"Knightwalker," he growled.

"Do I know you?" she demanded harshly.

The other man smirked at him.

"My name is Jellal," he said, taking off his headpiece. "I am the prince of Edolas."

There was a sudden silence.

"What?" the other man said in a low tone. Lightning crackled all around his body.

"Guys," a small voice said, making Erza K.'s, Prince Jellal's, and the other man's heads all turn to look at four other, well-hidden teenagers. "Akira said she's going to come back for us!" She swallowed at the intimidating look of Erza. "And that we shouldn't use our magic since in this world it's finite!"

Erza turned to her lieutenant, a well-known King Faust lover. Most of the army was.

"Get General Pantherlily here. As for the rest of you, go and get reinforcements!" She brought out magic-stopping restraints.

The scrambled to do her bidding. Erza was known for her Fairy-killing abilities, so she should be safe from the King'sany spies.

"Erza," Jellal said when they were gone, "what are you planning?"

Instead of answering, Erza stared at him, conflicted.

Jellal had, at one point in their younger years, been engaged to Erza. But upon finding Raven-having travelled to Earthland for a number of years on accident and stuck there-returned from wherever she'd been, as well as having Jellal gone, there was no questions what her sexuality was, or where her loyalties were. With Raven. She was conflicted, however. If she helped Raven out of the mess she was in now, she was outed as a guild-sympathizer and Fairy Tail would kick her ass.

"Do what is necessary," Jellal said...and then a pink haired guy punched him. Erza watched with amusement as the pinkette glared at the prince.

"Dude, you're a prince in this world! Can't you just order her not to do something?" He whined.

"Prince Siegrain," Erza said suddenly. Prince Jellal's eyes widened. "Prince Siegrain, I had no idea that the prince in the palace was actually Prince Jellal. My sincere apologies." Erza bowed. "I am glad these people have helped you; unfortunately I must take the magic-user with me."

"No need," Jellal said. "He has no real magic. Simply a trick he picked up inside that other world. Two Exceeds have also come with me, one being the Queen's daughter. These two are his adopted siblings." Jellal used his puppy eyes...and Erza sighed. Puppy eyes on a normally serious face could kill anyone...or make them do something else.

"Very well. Good day to you, Prnce Siegrain." She turned to her Legion and stood upon it, just as Pantherlily appeared.

"Lady Knightwalker, I heard you have need of my assitance?" He eyed the people on the ground...and gasped.

Erza stopped the tall Exceed. "No, Pantherlily. He is Prince Siegrain...for now," she added, smirking. Pantherlily looked confused for a brief moment...then a grin lit his face.

"Nice, Knightwalker. What should we do about his companions?"

"They merely use tricks. However, I should go alert Prince Siegrain about the inevitable change that shall be happening soon." Erza grimaced. The younger prince, Prince Jellal's twin, had been missing for ages. Those who knew him the best knew he was still in the palace, but had become a hermit after Jellal's 'death'.

Pantherlily nodded. "Very well."

Erza then held the piece of paper up for Pantherlily to see. "The King sent a message."

Pantherlily blinked...then smirked.

"Nice plan. When shall this take place?"

"As soon as possible. He wishes my presence so I can stop this from ever happening. However I wish to ask you to help enact his plan." Erza waited. She spoke in code to see if Pantherlily could indeed be trusted. She had to trust Pantherlily...because if she couldn't trust the cast-out Exceed, she did not think she would be able to trust many at all.

"I shall," Pantherlily said, turning around and heading for the Royal City, Erza right behind him on her own legion.

~:~

Akira was silently fuming. She'd acted timid from the beginning...and she was already sick of everything around her.

Lucy-Earthland Lucy-was sitting next to her with her eyes different so people wouldn't get her confused with the newly-dubbed 'Scary Lucy'.

Akira-Earthland Akira-wasn't too happy with Scary Lucy. Upon finding Akira and Lucy side by side-moments after Akira had entered- Key-Lucy had been harassed by Scary Lucy while Key-Akira had been picked on by Edolas Jet and Droy.

Jerks. And now they were running from the infamous Erza Knightwalker. She'd contacted her sisters via her mind and found they were in jail. And on top of that, she'd just found out that her father was actually her mother's cousin and that her mother was the illegitamite child of a king, the guy who rescued her and her sisters was actually her father, and she had just kissed-and abandoned-a guy that she had no idea if he liked her or not.

Edo-Jet laughed meanly. "No wonder Laxus broke it off with you. You're pathetic."

There was dead silence and Scary Lucy appeared. "What did you just say about our former guildmaster? And my best friend?" She growled.

Jet smirked at her. "Nothing, I just told Akira there that she's worthless and pathetic and that's the reason Laxus broke it off with her." A mean smile was on his lips.

Scary Lucy glared at him.

"Don't you dare say-" she began, but was cut off when Akira finally stood up.

"This guild is pathetic," she growled, her canines lengthening. "Absolutely pathetic! You two-" she glared at them with such a dark glare they recoiled "-are insignificant compared to me/other me!" She pointed to Levy. "You need to read more!" She turned to other members of the guild and pointed out their weaknesses and faults. When she turned to Lisanna, she hesitated, then moved to the next person. "And you." The Edo-Loke (although Akira was honestly shocked Edolas had a human for the Celestial Spirit's counterpart) looked panicked. "You need to confess that you are the one selling this guild out."

Silence descended in the guild.

"Who are you?" Scary Lucy growled, glaring at Akira.

"The name's Akira Soli, but I'm from Earthland," she replied cheekily. "I'm a dragon slayer." She closed her eyes and opened them, shocking everyone with her vertical pupils. "And I bet the other me is ashamed to be in this guild." She stared at them. She felt anger at this guild. "I cannot beleive that Fairy Tail would run."

"We have no magic, what would you expect?" Scary Lucy snarled.

Akira facepalmed. "I do," she said dryly. "All I need to do is find my friends."

Lucy looked at Akira. "What about me? I'm not a Conduit like you, so..."

Akira chewed on her lip.

"I could Awaken you, but it will be painful. We'd need an extra night..." she trailed off. "Plus I want to do it on Earthland, that way you're connected to it, not Edolas." She looked around distastefully. "No offence...but this world sucks. And you'll be in serious pain since it'll be a Forced Awakening."

"Wait, you two are Conduits?" Scary Lucy asked, looking excited.

Akira jerked a thumb to Key Lucy. "She's an Unawakened Conduit. She's in more danger than any of us."

Scary Lucy sighed. "Well, then you should go and-"

Akira gasped and hunched over, holding her head in pain. A usual reaction when a sister-a Conduit-was sentenced to death. Or died.

"CORA!!!!"

~:~

ERA

 

Things were a complete mess. Cora was being led through the crowd, murmurs following her.

Lahar and Doranbolt were watching, Yajima having been dismissed from the Council.

They didn't know what had happened-all they had seen was Cora being led out to be executed. And they'd heard that she'd been found out as a Conduit.

Then, something extraordinary happened.

All the Fairy Tail Conduits-excluding Lucy-appeared on the stage.

"How dare you," Akira snarled, her eyes flashing angrily.

Selene sighed, as though this was more trouble than they needed. "Seriously. This is stupid."

Mizu raised an eyebrow and glanced at her sister. "You're stupid."

Selene groaned. "Akira...can you shut Mizu up?"

Akira looked at her sister, annoyed. "If I did, we'd be arrested and executed." Akira suddenly smiled as though a brilliant idea had come to her. "Raven-"

"NO!" All of the Earthland Conduits shouted.

"Besides," Lyric said, "she's not familiar with Earthland stuff."

"Like," Renna interjected, "killing off Conduits."

Akira nodded. "True. Killing Conduits sucks."

"Which means..." Renna prompted.

"CANDY!" Mizu yelled, spotting a piece of candy.

Cora facepalmed.

"Mizu," Akira said in a chilling voice, making Mizu shudder and turn to her, "WILL YOU AT LEAST ACT SENSITIVE?!"

"What?" Mizu asked weakly. "There's...candy..."

Akira instantly grabbed her sister in a headlock...and scraped her knuckles against her younger sister's head.

"MERCYMERCYMERCYMERCY!!!!" Screamed a crying Mizu...Lahar and Doranbolt's souls floating away from them at the two's antics.

"STOP IT, BOTH OF YOU!" Lyric yelled. "We're not exactly saving Cora here!"

Instantly, Akira stopped and Mizu flickered for a minute.

"SORRY!" They both said.

Lahar and Doranbolt's souls both went back into their bodies.

"As the rules suggest, no Conduits are allowed inside this world. There is no room for them."

Akira arched an eyebrow. "I have a question."

"Yes?" the Gran Doma asked impatiently.

"Are you aware that there was a facility a few years ago in Enca?" Akira asked. The Gran Doma nodded.

"What has this got to do anything?"

"I am the Conduit that blew it up." Gasps echoed across the courtyard. "My sisters were all being tortured. I myself was implanted with a demon lacrima." Akira gestured to Lyra, who had remained quiet that entire time. "Lyra and Lyric here were as well. I had Renna put a potion inside of me that exploded the facility when it clashed with my Conduit-ness." Akira stard at the ground. "I was Awakened upon my third birthday. My mother did it."

"You cannot choose whether or not to be a Conduit," Selene said. "While there are rare cases of Forced Awakenings, they are not to be spoken of."

The Gran Doma snorted. "It matters not! You have violated the law-"

"Violating the law would be defined as 'purposefully turning ourselves into Conduits to spite the country' when all of our cases were in uncontrollable circumstance," Akira snarled at them. "Would you, Gran Doma, punish your own granddaughter for being a Conduit? No, you hypocrite, you won't because you all are greedy sons of bitches who kill anyone you please! If you must kill Cora, you must first kill your own granddaughter. For, Gran Doma, that is the law. Am I wrong?" she asked, turning to the crowd.

Suddenly, Akira screamed as something shot through her. People in the crowd turned to look...and Renna saw the person responsible.

"REN!!!!"

~:~

EDOLAS

 

Akira opened her eyes to find herself laying on the ground of the Edolas Fairy Tail. She could feel her lifeblood leaving her.

Lucy hovered over her cousin.

"Akira," she sobbed. Akira's eyes focused on her."Please don't die! We have to save Edolas and Cora!"

"Celestial Freak," she croaked, making Lucy laugh-sob. "Take care of my spirits."

Lucy's eyes widened.

"Akira! No!"

Akira's body started leaving in golden sparkles as Lucy's hand shook as she took her cousin's Infernal Keys. The Edolas Fairy Tail watched in complete shock as Akira faded.

Lucy screamed. A glow enveloped her body as her Conduit form appeared.

Lucy was finally defenseless, and Edolas Loke took advantage of that.

Instead, however, the Edo-Loke found himself in the middle of the Royal City with no memory of the Fairy Tail guild's location.

And Lucy? Well, she had used pure Conduit magic to send him elsewhere.

~:~

ERA

 

The Conduits fell to their knees, crippled by the loss of Akira.

And when Akira had fully faded, something else had entered the city.

An eerie stillness made all look around...to see a ghost army filing into the city.

And not just any army.

A Conduit ghost army.

~:~

TRANSLATIONS:

**_If not specified what language the translations are in, assume it's Japanese. If it's not, it will be specified in parenthesis () after the English translation. By the way, I used Google Translate so please forgive me if I am incorrect in the non-English translation._ **

_Magia conductele: Arată gandurile tale, oh oameni de Edolas._ _Arată-mi cele care sunt diferite.- Magic of the Conduits: Show your thoughts, oh people of Edolas. Show me the ones that are different. (Either Romanian or Latin…I’m pretty sure it’s Romanian)_


	16. She's Alive and Edolas, Part 2

**EDOLAS**

Raven paced in her cell, on edge.

She felt a pain in her very bones and collapsed, Mizu, Selene, Renna, and Lyric all coming back from their immobile state to scream in pain.

And then a soothing feeling came through the bond. Not like the explosion that left them breathless and crying.

This one felt like...their sister was transforming.

Then, that empty void was...blocked.

She-whoever she was-was alive!

~:~

**ERA, EARTHLAND**

Cora collapsed, pain in every cell of her body. She knew, she just _knew_ that it hurt Akira's sisters more than it hurt her; after all, Akira was their triplet, their other third.

She gained control of her body and realised whoever this 'Ren' was had outed her so she could die and rigged that trap.

Instead of taking Cora, it took Akira and Azakarika.

Whatever he had been aiming for wasn't death, it must have been transformation.

She stood up, pain still radiating in every cell.

Then a soothing feeling came to her. She lifted her head, happy.

Wherever she was...

_Akira was alive!!!!_

~:~

**ENCA**

Akira woke up feeling groggy. She knew she was being heavily sedated...and then she heard a voice.

 _Rest, little ones. I will command your body for the time._ Soothed by the Mother, she succumbed to sleep.

~:~

**ERA**

Cora blinked to see the ghost army just standing there.

Then Cora glowed a bright white, and the Conduit ghosts used her as a mouthpiece.

_We are the ones who have died, the ones who have been and will be. Speak, leader of the Magic Council. We await your response to Akirakaza Soli's death._

"Actually," the Gran Doma said, "her last name is Soli _ana._ "

Cora turned her expressionless face to his. He and everyone who saw stepped or moved backwards at her eyes; they were milky white, like a blind person's.

 _She has declared herself a Soli. Not the name which has been her burden. Speak, or we shall strike you down._ Nobody could argue with dead people. They were probably the most stubborn people alive, even if they were dead.

"My response is 'good riddance'. We don't need that Fairy filth here," the Gran Doma proclaimed.

Instantly, Cora's face went dark, and it was eerie to watch.

 _Fairy filth? FAIRY FILTH?!_ The dead cried. _You have shamelessly persecuted our family, and now you do it to Mavis' guild?! HOW DARE YOU!_

The earth shook.

 _Thousands of our sisters have died,_ the dead whispered. _If you kill Cora, you will add yet another to the dead. We can level this world in a second; and you wonder why we do not?_

"Because you can't really do it?" the Gran Doma suggested arrogantly.

Cora tilted her head.

 _DO NOT TEST US, WIZARDLING. YOU ARE BUT A CHILD COMPARED TO US,_ the dead shouted. _The only reason we do not is because all of us agreed on a set of rules that we abide by. That same set of rules is what keeps males from being Coduits and keeps this world balanced. You hunted us long before the Dark Wizard Zeref, who is not a Conduit. You hunted us long before Mavis, Sayu, and Miyu were born. So tell us, wizardling, why you continue to kill us off and more and more damage is done by normal wizards not of Fairy Tail and those not Conduits? Tell us, is it the stories you were told?_

The Gran Doma looked incensed. "You dare tell ME what you... _abominations_ are capable of? You cannot hurt a fly!" he scoffed.

_We did not write the rules. A Conduit cannot kill another Conduit; they are incapable of that fact. Nor can a Conduit steal another Conduit's body; the Conduit inside the forcefully taken over body will be destroyed within twenty days. Tell us, Gran Doma, that these rules are not fair and we will smite you where we stand._

Cora stared at the Gran Doma, who still stood his ground.

Lahar stopped the Gran Doma.

"Tell me," he began, "if we don't stop killing you off, what will happen?"

Cora said nothing for a long while.

Then, she sighed, the sigh echoing.

There was a stunned silence.

_We will do nothing, for what can we do when faced with an automatic death sentence? Think on this, Gran Doma._

Cora turned away, and then the Gran Doma slammed his staff down.

"I will continue to kill and destroy Conduits! The law is the law!"

Cora vanished. No memory remained of the proceedings; none who were there, excluding Lahar and Doranbolt. Yajima-san was reinstated; but the Gran Doma was more active in his hunts.

Nobody even noticed, the next day, the people that glowed the next day. Nope. Nobody saw a thing.

~:~

**EDOLAS**

Conduit Lucy stopped glowing and just sat there, staring blankly at Akira's blood on the ground.

Suddenly, a girl looking exactly like Akira entered and stuttered, "D-did I m-miss any-anything?"

Key-Conduit-Lucy  stood up, her bangs shadowing her eyes.

"I suppose we go with the plan Akira brought with her," she said after talking with Selene quickly. "We overthrow this Faust guy and bring magic back to Edolas."

"How will you do that?" Scary Lucy asked.

Conduit Lucy smiled, a truly scary smile. Even Scary Lucy shivered.

"First, we need to expose ourselves. Selene and Mizu could overthrow the king on their own." Suddenly Virgo appeared.

"Punishment, hime?" the maid spirit asked stoically.

"No, Virgo," Lucy said, sweatdropping.

"Here, hime," she said, giving her a whip. "A whip called the _Fleuve d'étoiles_. I made it from your old whip, hime."

"Thank you, Virgo."

"This is a gift from the Spirit King to your Akira," she said, holding out a delicate charm in the shape of a sword. "Keep it for her return. You will forget about it until she arrives."

Lucy frowned. "How will I keep it on me?"

Virgo shrugged.

"A b-bracelet?" Nervous Akira asked, timidly holding out a charm bracelet. "I-I found it w-when they t-took Master L-Laxus."

It was a silver bracelet that Scary Lucy examined for a minute.

"Why would the old master have a bracelet?" she asked, frowning.

"I-it was going t-to be y-yours, Lucy," Nervous Akira stuttered. "He always loved you, even when he was dating me." Her stutter was gone for the moment and she sounded sad. Just sad.

Conduit Lucy grinned. "So you do have men lining up for you!" She and Scary Lucy shared conspiritorial grins, making the rest of Edolas Fairy Tail sweatdrop.

"Great, now Scary Lucy has a double..." someone muttered.

"Actually," Virgo said in her monotone, "Gemini wishes to try something, hime."

"Okay," Lucy said hesitantly.

The two dolls came out. "Pidy, pidy!" They called dreamily.

Then two poofs of air appeared, and when it cleared, four Lucys could be seen.

"THERE ARE FOUR OF THEM?!"

~:~

**ENCA**

A girl opened her eyes.

"Oni. Are you awake?"

Oni answered in the affirmative.

"Good. Oni, you know your orders?"

Oni again answered in the affirmative as she turned to look in a mirror.

"Excellent."

Grayish eyes gazed back at Oni, vibrant dyed green hair. She felt the scale in the middle of her back and grinned.

"I am ready to take Akirakaza Soliana's place."

She glanced towards a bed, where her own body lay, being heavily sedated.

For the briefest instant, Oni saw a confused version of herself-

_No. Akirakaza is in my body, and I in hers. I must complete the mission, and only the mission._

With that thought, she exited the room, ready to play the charade of an Earth Dragon Slayer.

~:~

**EDOLAS**

Faust was talking to his lieutenants. The two dragon slaying Conduits had been put into the room of Magic-Siphoning. Agonized screams from them could be heard.

Then a blast was heard-and felt.

Raven Sorcière and Renna Okubyōmono stood there, deranged, angry looks on their faces.

"How dare you," Renna growled.

"Stop this at once," Faust roared, then gasped, clutching his throat.

They looked around, and saw a pale Lyric sucking in air...or stealing Faust's voice.

Erza Knightwalker suddenly grabbed the king's advisor. Pantherlily restrained his other two generals. Coco stood there, shocked.

"Coco," Erza said, "are you with or against the king?"

Coco looked like she was indecisive.

"With you," she said, jumping on the balls of her feet.

"Erza," a deep voice muttered. Everyone turned to see...Mystogan, the two Exceeds, Laxus, Natsu, and Wendy standing with another man who looked exactly like Mystogan.

"Prince Jellal, Prince Siegrain," Erza said, cuffing the small advisor. Faust was still trying to talk, but when Lyric stole a voice, she couldn't give it back unless she used her Roar.

"Nice to see you, Erza," Edo-Jellal and Siegrain said in unison.

"Shall you two take the throne?" Erza questioned.

Mystogan shook his head.

"I wish to remain on Earthland."

His quiet statement made everyone look at him, even his brother.

"But-"

"What about-"

"SILENCE!" Lyric yelled, holding her ears.

"The Conduits will figure out the problem, as they have a solution," Mystogan said. He turned to Renna. "Akira is going to come and help you, correct?"

A brief stab of pain seemed to hit the Conduits. They saw the utter devastation on their faces.

"Unfortunately, Akira...may be dead," Renna quietly said, her hands curling into a fist. "She was helping us on Earthland a few hours ago."

Lyric nodded. "I can't help; they started siphoning my magic and I'm exhausted.

Renna looked at Raven.

"Do you want to help?"

"Certainly," she said, and placed her hands on Renna's.

"Erza, you should probably put them in the dungeon, it's time for a regime change," Edo-Jellal said.

"Hey!" Everyone turned to Natsu, who was staring at Laxus. "When did the jerk get here?!"

His fist lit on fire, he rushed at Laxus...only to be instantly hit to the ground. Stones flew up around him.

Wendy, Charle, and Happy sweatdropped.

"Idiot," muttered Laxus.

"I know," Siegrain agreed.

Then Erza K herded Faust and his retainers and advisors away.

Renna and Raven started to glow, Lyric glowing soon afterwards.

All Conduits, on Earthland and on Edolas glowed.

~:~

**ENCA, EARTHLAND**

A day had passed. Time seemed to move swifter on Earthland than Edolas. As Akira lay in that bed, barely moving, something rushed through her and the Mother's voice came to her.

_It's time._

Akira vanished from the bed, creating chaos.

~:~

Oni was traveling when a bright glow enveloped her compartment in the train.

"Oni."

Oni was frozen as a hand lifted on to her body's chest. She looked up to see dangerous red eyes glaring at her.

_"Give me my body back, bitch."_

Oni fought, to no avail.

" _Magic de conductele: Soul transferuri_!" Their souls switched vessels, creating an amazing light show.

Then the light died down as Akira's-and Aza's-soul re-entered her body and Oni's soul re-entered _her_ body.

Akira opened her eyes and quickly placed a palm on Oni's forehead.

They vanished.

~:~

Akira stumbled into a large, strong body. Falling backwards, she felt arms stop her from falling.

"Akira?" she heard.

"Screw you," she muttered, opening her eyes to see Laxus' wide eyes staring at her eyes. She smiled. "Hey," she yawned.

"Hello," he replied, looking amused.

"What did I miss?"

"Not much, just the overthrowing of a kingdom."

"Damn it. Can we reschedule?" Akira asked, yawning. She then spotted Oni sitting up and looking around.

She fully stood up and then stumbled over to Oni.

"Oni." Oni's head whipped around. She saw Akira and rushed her.

Akira sidestepped the young woman and swept her feet from under her.

"Oni, stop fighting me."

Oni didn't.

"Oni, STOP! I'm not your enemy! I want to be your friend!" Akira shouted, upset.

Oni stilled. "Your friend? Pathetic. Only losers have _friends,_ " she spat.

Akira shrugged. "I never said I was a winner."

Oni thrashed.

Akira placed a palm on her forehead.

Oni stilled at Akira's own memories, and the feelings that accompanied those memories. The innocence, the joy. The terror, the anger. The lonliness...the happiness.

When Akira took her palm back, the memories vanished, but the feelings remained.

"How..." Oni wanted to ask her _how_ she was able to keep it together. But she could sense that Akira was slowly descending into madness, into insanity.

"I haven't," Akira said. "I'm breaking, Oni. But if you let the people you _think_ are right control your life, then I can't help you." She stopped holding Oni down as she stood and held her hand out for Oni. "But if you want to join in on an adventure of a lifetime...then I can-and I will, I swear it-help you."

Oni grasped her hand. "They have more Conduits at the facility." She then let out a cry as a sonic boom shattered what Akira was going to say.

The dragon slayers were holding their ears, blood coming out. Lyric's ears _gushed_ blood, as did Akira's.

Which was EW!

"Ow," Akira muttered, looking at Laxus, Wendy, and Natsu.

And sweatdropped when she saw Natsu was unconscious and twitching. Laxus' ears only let out a trickle of blood, as did Wendy's.

Lyra staggered in, looking dazed.


	17. Edolas, Part 3, Conduit Stories, and Demons

"Thank you, Akira, for giving me a second chance," Oni whispered, hugging Akira. Akira awkwardly patted her back.

"Yeah, yeah, no problem," the teenage Conduit said, looking away.

Selene appeared next to her and Laxus. "Come on, you three."

"You coming or staying, Oni?" Akira questioned. Oni shrugged.

"Staying. Edolas is nice. I'll join the Edo-Fairy Tail. Hopefully they'll let me in," Oni said in a small voice.

"I promise to come in and check up on you," Mystogan was saying across the room. "Maybe even ask Selene if she can make a lacrima join up with yours."

"All right, big brother," Prince Siegrain said sadly.

Happy and Charle walked back in (having been escorted out by other Exceeds (now they knew they were EXCEEDS and not _talking cats with wings_ )) with Lyra's Extalia walking with them, all three in a daze.

"What's wrong?" Wendy asked.

"My mother's the queen Exceed and not really an Exceed seeing as she has only one wing," Charle responded dazedly.

"I think Happy met his parents," Extalia said, also dazedly. "And I'm named for the city of Exceeds."

Happy said nothing. He just went to Natsu and hugged his neck.

Lyra picked her adorable little Exceed up and hugged her. "I missed you, Extalia!"

"I missed you too, Lyra."

Selene turned her attention to Akira.

"You going to stay with Laxus for a few more weeks?"

Akira looked sad. "I can't. We have a huge problem."

Mizu appeared, bouncing happily. "I agree! We just outed our Conduit-ism to the entirety of Fiore! Chances are Conduits all over the world are going to stream into Fairy Tail looking for a safe haven."

"We could ask Blue Pegasus, Lamia Scale, and Quatro Cerberus if they are willing to take in some Conduits," Lyra said, joining the conversation.

"Not Quatro Cerberus, I think they only take males," Selene said, disagreeing.

"Yeah...what about Mermaid Heel?" Lyra asked, shifting to her other foot.

"Guys, let's focus on that problem AFTER we leave Edolas, please," Akira said, hugging Oni one last time and then pushing her to arm's length. "Be good. I'll check up on you when I have a chance to, okay?"

Oni nodded and smiled childishly. "All right, _Ane_!"

Akira smiled broadly. Then she hugged her again.

"Akira, come on!" Lyra yelled.

Guiltily, Akira followed Lyra, letting go of her. Grabbing Mystogan's arm and Laxus' shirt, Akira allowed her powers to flare, as did her sisters', and she took a single step and was back home.

According to the three Exceeds, the rest of the Exceeds had left Edolas, deciding to join the humans that held magic inside them.

Akira released Laxus and Mystogan and took short, panting breaths that she tried to stop. Her body was exhausted. After being 'killed', switching bodies, and using an inter-planetary gateway twice-all three having drained her magic-her body needed to recuperate.

She stood up anyway, choosing to hide her exhaustion.

"I promise Laxus, I'll be back," she said, smiling toothily at him. He growled.

Mystogan nodded, probably decided to give Akira and Laxus privacy. "I shall be at the nearest hotel." He vanished into the trees.

Laxus grabbed Akira and kissed her, the teenager kissing him back.

Then Laxus growled again after he'd taken his lips off of her, and both of them looked at each other...and Akira bared her neck, as Laxus wanted to temporarily mark her as his. If he didn't within a year, the mark would vanish and she'd be free to mate with someone else. But for now, she was Laxus'.

"You better come back, Stone."

"That was weak, Sparky," Akira laughed. Laxus shot her a glare. "I'll see you soon, Laxus." She gave him a chaste kiss on the cheek, then darted away, Laxus' growl and her answering laughter echoing throughout the forestry.

~:~

**ERA**

Ur walked through the prison. She knew where two prisoners were that she wanted to see; not that anyone would stop her.

She was still working on gaining her magic back. She was able to do some Ice Make forms, but she wasn't up to the level of mastery she used to be. Now that she had a job in the army, she was happier...she supposed.

She stood in front of Brain's cell.

Klodoa, the talking staff, had been melted or broken down by someone, Ur didn't know who.

When Brain had been brought in, Ur had been surprised to see the oh-so-fearsome leader of the Oración Duo (Ur suspected that the rest of the Oración Seis had vanished into the woodwork, hopefully never to reappear as a dark guild) a gibbering mess.

He told tale of 'The-One-Who-Judges' (Ur wasn't sure if he was talking about a judge in the book series _Witch &Wizard._ It was a pretty good series, who could blame him?) and how she had GLOWED. Ur suspected that his now-powerless state was because of 'The-One-Who-Judges'. However, he'd clearly regained his senses. He wasn't a gibbering mess now. He messed with some of the other guards' minds.

"Hello," Ur greeted, entering his cell. She was seemingly an expert at interrogating people because there always seemed to be this intimidating aura around her.

"You must be Ur." His voice was deep. Ur shrugged.

"You've heard of me." Her voice was flat. "Amazing."

"From your daughter, no less." Ur's eyes flashed.

"I have no daughter," she spat.

"You left her alone." Ur shook her head. "And then she became a criminal. I'll tell you where she is...if you let me out."

Ur let her anger show.

"Don't try to trick me. You're in here for life. And I have no child," she said, and left Brain's cell. His laughter followed her, mocking her.

As soon as she was out of sight of Brain's cell, and she was out of sight of HIM, she stopped and focused her magic.

"Ice Make: Rose!" she chanted. A brilliant ice rose appeared, larger than ever before.

She tried a couple more, succeeding each time.

A smile bloomed on her lips.

_Now I'm ready to see those two brats of mine again._

Because while she didn't think she had a daughter _since the baby had died,_ she had two wonderful boys as ice wizards who she loved.

And maybe...just maybe, just as a thought, she could investigate Brain's claim.

~:~

**MAGNOLIA, FIORE, EARTHLAND**

Akira gritted her teeth as she tried to keep her eyes open. Exhaustion weighed on her heavily, but she had to make it to the guild.

"Mystogan..." she whispered. Mystogan turned in time to see Akira fall, unconscious.

"Akira!"

~:~

Mystogan entered the Fairy Tail guild, seeing Jellal up close for the first time. Those who had been in on the Edolas adventure shivered as Jellal and Mystogan stood face-to-face.

Then Mystogan turned away and Akira was revealed to be laying in his arms, her face oddly peaceful.

Lyra, the only one of the Conduits actually in the guild, leapt up and felt her forehead.

She sighed in relief as she took Akira from her, groaning as Akira was _heavy._

She set Akira on the nearest table and announced to the guild, her guild mark on her tongu flashing as she spoke, "She's unconscious from exhaustion; she'll awaken in a day or two."

"A day or two?!" several voices asked.

"Yeah..." Lyra said. "A day or two. She'll be awake enough to see Lucy's full transition."

"Transition into what?" Makarov asked.

Lyra turned to face him squarely.

"Lucy was the one there when Akira died." She held up her hand for silence as she continued explaining. "Akira's body vanished. She _did_ die for a split second, then she was alive again. However, she was in another's body here on Earthland and when we transferred a dead Conduit's energy to Edolas she was able to escape and reclaim her own body." Lyra looked down. "The trauma of watching someone die...it hurts you emotionally. The fact that Lucy was a _Celestial wizard_ before Akira died...well..." Lyra shrugged.

"What does being a Celestial wizard have anything to do with being a Conduit?" Freed asked.

Lyra made eye contact with Al.

He nodded.

Lyra grabbed Lucifer's key and shouted, "Open, gate of the ruler of Hell! LUCIFER!"

A blood-red magic circle appeared, and Lucifer popped out.

"Yes, Lyra?"

"May I tell this guild of what happened between you and the Princess?"

Lucifer glanced around. He shrugged. "Go ahead. It'll get out in the open eventually."

Lucifer left and Lyra said, "You all might want to sit down for the story."

Eveyone got comfortable.

"A long time ago, more than five hundred years ago, there was a brilliant constellation called _Yōsei._ She was the Fairy Constellation." Lyra threw her hands out, and the guild was covered in blackness. The ceiling was lit up by the stars of the past. Lyra felt Akira stirring and knew she had awoken, if only briefly. "She wasn't fair of looks, in fact the only reason she got that spot as a constellation was because she was the youngest daughter of the Celestial Spirit King and wielded unlimited magic." Murmurs came around, but Lyra waved her hand and a room came into focus. A beautiful, glowing woman stood next to a non-glowing, non-glittering woman. The glowing woman had hair made of the softest-looking gold, whereas the other had hair made of shimmery silver. The first woman had eyes that could melt the hardest of hearts, whereas the other had pure white eyes that could strike terror in anyone's. The first woman was pale, but not ghostly. The second woman was paler than the first.

"Andromeda was her elder sister." A sign popped up, showing who was who. The one who looked prettier was Andromeda. "Andromeda was pretty and knew it, flaunting her status as the Celestial King's daughter, growing more selfish as time passed. Most of the Celestial men wanted her, and the Celestial women hated her and grew jealous of her. _Yōsei_ , also known as Cassandra in many myths, loved her sister and tried to make her proud. Cassandra warned her sister constantly of what the future held, but Andromeda didn't listen to her ugly little sister.

"So, one night, a Celestial man named Lucifer came to Cassandra. He was the devil constellation, a constellation the Spirit King has wiped from the stars. He went to Cassandra and used her. Told her she was pretty, that he loved her. Then, behind her back, he whispered words in Andromeda's ears, tellng her awful things about Cassandra." Lyra waved her hand and Lucifer appeared. He was on his knees, holding out flowers to the beautiful Andromeda. He was in that same position, mirrored, but holding a bundle of thorns to Cassandra. "Until Andromeda's hate for her ugly little sister became something more. She longed to spite Cassandra, rub it in her face.

"So, lying to Lucifer, Andromeda said she had chosen him for her eternal partner. She had told him that Cassandra was asleep, she never woke in the middle of the night."

"Celestial spirits don't sleep!" on person yelled.

Lyra turned her face to meet Macao's.

"Then, even they needed sleep." Lyra turned back to the story. "Anyway, Andromeda lied to Lucifer. When Cassandra woke in the middle of the night, she heard Lucifer's voice and thought he was merely talking to Andromeda. Cassandra left the room...and Lucifer popped out, completely naked." Lyra swiped her hand, a fully dressed Lucifer going into Andromeda's room. Lyra swept her hand again, and it showed Lucifer with a towel on (towels had probably not been invented yet, but Lyra was definitely NOT going to show them a picture of a naked Lucifer). "Cassandra probably knew, deep down, that sleeping with the devil constellation wasn't a good idea. But she wanted comfort, a comfort Andromeda had been too selfish to give. So she slept with him. He, like he had Andromeda, whispered false things into her ears. Cassandra didn't believe them, not until the Celestial Court was called.

"Andromeda and Cassandra stood in front of the court, the Princess and the Fairy. The Princess turned on the Fairy, trying to destroy her mind.

"Lucifer was called in to settle the dispute, and when Cassandra and Andromeda both saw him, they both asked for reassurances that Lucifer had told the truth. When Lucifer chose Cassandra's side, Andromeda-in all her selfish fury-had turned on him. Her inner darkness appeared...and it made her inferior for the first time in her existence. And the Fairy...she turned her back on Lucifer. She reached out to her sister and took the darkness from her, causing her own mind to fracture. The Fairy became _human._ Lucifer, when he became an Infernal spirit, cursed because it was his fault, both the Fairy and the Devil were erased from the stars, and he took the memories of being a spirit away from Cassandra.

"Cassandra became a Mother, the Mother. She had triplets. Sayu, Miyu, and Mavis. All three took on a last name after they Awakened. Sayu took on 'Casime', Miyu became 'Miyu Miyuki' and Mavis became 'Mavis Vermillion'." Lyra swept her hand, a room full of constellations appearing, then Cassandra falling, Lucifer falling on another depiction. And then a human Cassandra, smiling at three children. "Mavis took on the spun-gold hair of Andromeda, Sayu had silver hair, and Miyu-the middle child-had both gold and silver hair. They were born Awakened as Conduits.

"Soon enough, the humans grew frightened of the creature that fell from the heavens and beheaded her. Her three children survived, having little to no knowledge of the heavens, and they scattered. Years passed and all three grew, only one founding a guild, the other two entering the guild and staying in it. When the Dark Wizard Zeref appeared, Mavis, Sayu, and Miyu had already had children, all of them born of a man during three solstice dances. Miyu and Sayu were killed, Mavis giving her life to protect her children, locking away their powers until thy were ready. Blood mixed with blood...and the children of the Fairy Constellation populated this world." Lyra let other pictures showing the kids flow by quickly. "Barely any Conduits are Awakened. Maybe about a hundred. Add in the factor that maybe thirty of those Conduits are dead thanks to Enca...barely any Awakened Conduits are alive. Any questions?"

With another swipe, the stars came back, the fairy constellation shining. And, to be honest, it was just the guild mark.

"Our guild mark is the Fairy Constellation?" Mest asked. Lyra smiled.

"Yep!"

"What about your hair? Is it silver?"

"No," someone told Mest. "You can't see that it's blue?"

"No," Lyra said. "He's right. My hair is naturally silver. I just dye it." Lyra closed her eyes and her hair shined. When it died down, her hair was silver-like strands of metal. Then the blue leaked back in. "If every Conduit advertised their hair, it would be a lot worse. Awakened Conduits by the age of five recieve the silver hair crap. By the time we turn eighteen, we'll be fully realized Conduits and have strands of gold-ish color. When Lucy's eighteen, her hair will become silver and gold too."

"So how did Mavis form the guild if she as a Conduit?" Mest asked, looking eager to know.

Akira sat up. "There weren't any laws against Conduits until the Dark Wizard Zeref came into being."

Lyra nodded.

"Aza says she's sorry, by the way," Akira said to Lyra.

Lyra snorted. "It ain't me you need to apologize to, Aza...and how are you allowing her more freedom?"

Akira folded her arms and pouted. "I don't hate Aza! You hate Poison and everything she represents!"

"Yeah...for good reason." At Akira's scoff, Lyra glared. "You have it easy! You have the _Lust_ demon in you!"

"Tch, as if!" Akira snorted. "As if I have it easy!" Akira's eyes threw daggers at her sister-by-Conduit.

Lyra bowed her head.

"I know. I'm sorry," she whispered. The whole guild was quiet.

The doors opened.

"Well, well, well," Ren drawled. Akira growled.

Lyra sighed and stood up.

"I hate you, Ren." She walked towards Ren, her totems floating behind her. "I'm sick of hiding who I am." She took her eyepatch off. Her Figure Eye glowed as she called her dolls to her. "Figure Eye!"

It glowed a brilliant green as she trapped Ren in her gaze, forcing him to stand still. She knew Renna would kill her if she killed him, so she smirked and gave him an entirely different command.

"Tell me why you want Akira."

Ren, in a monotone, told her and the horrified guild behind her everything.

Enca had created Renna. When she had disobeyed, the next one in their priorities was Akira. When she had been taken, Oni had been their next, less powerful choice. Lyra nearly threw up when she came to the awful realization-as did everyone else-that they were trying-and succeeding-at building a perfect, soldier-like army.

They'd already had two setbacks, but they were determined.

Lyra told him to go away and never return to Fairy Tail. Or see any of its members.

Lyra turned and stared at Akira, ash white.

~:~

Poison's appearance startled many, as did Aza's.

"How dare they!" Poison punched a wall.

"Murderers," Aza hissed, punching the table.

"We have to stop it," Poison insisted.

"With Akira's family? We cannot drag them into the fight, Kirai." Aza shook her head. "No, we need Master's help."

"We cannot summon him! He summons us!" Poison whispered, shrinking at the thought of their master. "If we summon him, we're as good as dead!"

Aza glared. "Do you have a better idea?"

Lily-or Deliora-appeared.

"I do." The two higher demons turned.

"Well?" the higher demons asked, their Zeref symbols standing out.

"Enca has implanted more of our brothers and sisters into the army, right? I think it's time we remind them of their places." Deliora grinned sadistically at that.

Aza and Poison grinned at that.

Then the door slammed open and yet another demon stood there.

"IKARI!" Aza and Poison bellowed, hugging their triplet.

"Just how many demons are there?" Mest whispered.

"Four," Makarov whispered back. "Ikari is Lyric's demon."

"So, we ready to piss off some demons?" Aza asked chillingly.

"Oh, yeah," Ikari grinned darkly. All four demons grinned in chilling anticipation, making the members of Fairy Tail gape when sparkles suddenly appeared as they bowed to Makarov.

"We'll be back!" They said in unison.

Then Aza asked, "Master Makarov...may we bear the mark of this family on us?"

Makarov nodded his agreement.

Mira approached them, smiling. "Where and what color?"

"My stomach," Aza proclaimed. "And black, please. I'd like to shift into my full form and have it stand out."

"Shoulder," Poison requested. She wore a strapless dress.

"Hip." Ikari let her skirt's part reveal only a little of her leg.

"Uh..." Deliora grimaced.

"Forehead, bright red," sniggered Aza.

Deliora gave Aza a glare after Mira had done what she said.

"I hate you."

"You know you love me," Aza said, giggling.

Then the four demons stopped, as if just now realizing when Aza said.

Then Aza cleared her throat and said, in a grand way, "If we die, Master Makarov..."

Lucy came running in. "Your...sword..." she panted. Lucy hadn't yet fully completed the transition into a fully Awakened Conduit.

Aza took the sword...and it pulsed, then changed into a freaking SCYTHE.

"I approve," she allowed.

Then she turned to Makarov. "If we die, please tell her we died helping our people."

Makarov nodded. "Remember..." he called to their retreating backs. "Fairy Tail doesn't kill. We _obliterate."_ Aza turned to him with a dark smile.

"Oh, don't worry, Master Makarov. We plan on it." Then they teleported elsewhere.

"Does anyone else think that she said that super-creepily?" Macao rather shakily asked.

Lucy snorted. "I'd be more worried if it was Akira in control." Al snickered.

"Azakarika may be nice around all of y'all, but she's got a nasty streak a mile wide 'cause of what those folks did to her. I'd say they get what's comin' to them," Al said, shrugging. "They deserve much less than dying by Aza's...scythe." Al turned to Lucy, disregarding the looks exchanged between everyone. "What are you doing out of bed Lucy?"

"I forgot to give 'Kira her sword..." Lucy yawned. "Tired."

"Yeah, ya can't be fully Awakened 'till Akira's back, kiddo."

Soon, Selene picked up the sleepy Lucy and scolded the young woman.

Little did they know that soon, they'd have much more to worry about...

 


	18. Yorokobi, Kirai, and an Angry Akira

**ENCA**

_It was a massacre._

Anyone in Enca could have heard the screams for miles as the demon wielding the scythe cut her enemies down with a sadistic smirk on her face, her demon form fully revealed for all to see. The oh-so-obedient army was found, ready for the demons. But the demons didn't kill them, instead revealing their true forms and powers.

Scientists who had done this of their own free will were dead. The scythe was still pristine, gleaming. Any blood that had gone onto it had slipped off of the blade and landed elsewhere.

Raw hatred pounded through the demon's form. She wasn't killing them; she had _obliterated_ the people ho had threatened her host's family. She looked like a divine angel delivering divine justice.

She stalked forward, her angelic wings and ridged red skin with the black Fairy Tail mark in the middle of her stomach making her seem like an angel in the disguise of a human, although it was precisely the opposite.

Azakarika-no, she was the _Tenshi no yōna seigi no akuma,_ the demon of angelic justice, not just plain old Yorokobi (Lust)-destroyed any and all traces of the willing members, and plunged into the mind and destroyed any illusions the scientists had.

Kirai-Poison's real name-and Ikari both were elsewhere in the facility, whereas Deliora was destroying the facility, a few pieces at a time.

Yorokobi-for she was indeed the Lust demon, this time- walked at a leisurely pace, planning to savor this moment.

She spotted _him._

She had her scythe in its sheath she'd made with magic, using rocks. She planned on tearing this man's heart out. Unlike her old self, the violent Yorokobi, Yorokobi did not plan on eating it.

She stalked forward. He turned. He grinned at her. Her angel wings were folded behind her.

"I made you that body."

Yorokobi said nothing, just gazing at him.

"I'm glad you have returned, my loyal demon." He turned back around. "Now, if we can-"

"You are a liar." The man turned around and laughed.

"Now why would I be that?"

Yorokobi stepped forward.

"I did not come here to join you." Yorokobi let him see the blood on her boots as she stepped forward again. "I did not come to join you." _I came for my rightful revenge._ "You should be on your knees, begging for my mercy."

The man laughed. "I do not, and will not, ever beg." His hand splayed out. "You are mine, Lust."

Yorokobi looked down and studied the trap. Then she looked up at the man.

And stepped out of the magical trap he'd set.

The man stank of fear. He tried to hide it.

"Now, now, Yorokubi-"

Yorokobi growled. "My name is not Yorokubi. It is Yorokobi, and I am the demon of angelic justice. No longer am I to be classed among the demons of Zeref. While he is my one Master, I have evolved into someone else entirely." She allowed her black wings to show. He gaped, whether in fear or shock, Yorokobi didn't know. "Did you know Deliora was once a lily? She was supposed to die when Zeref's power scourged the land. She became something else. She became a twenty foot demon. Rather significant, right?" Yorokobi approached the man. Her claws were inches from his face. "Amazing how an insignificant plant can turn into a huge demon...what power the Master has." She grinned, canines extended. "I and my sisters, however, were predators. Tigers, I think. I remember running. And eating. When I was a young demon I was wild. You could hear the screams from miles away as I made people mad with lust...and those affected...oh, well." She grinned at him and leaned forward to whisper in his ear. _"I'd eat their hearts."_ She then plunged her hand into his body to grasp his heart. "I won't eat yours. I'm quite afraid I've grown out of my taste for human hearts."

She ripped out the man's heart.

She walked out, holding the heart high.

"I control the heart," she said, making every innocent jump and the controlled army kneel to her as she held aloft the heart.

She squeezed and it was gone.

"I will not control you like they did."

"Excuse me," an innocent man whispered. "Why did you spare us?"

Yorokobi turned to him and smiled a fang-filled smile.

"I'm not like most of the others of my kind."

Suddenly, Ikari and Kirai appeared, Deliora with them in human form.

"How was it?"

Kirai shifted. "Not as...fulfilling as it used to be."

Ikari merely nodded. "What shall we do with the survivors?"

Yorokobi turned her red eyes onto them.

"Know this," she began, her tone ice. "Any demons of Master Zeref are welcome to go to Galuna Island and join them, or even join a wizarding guild. Any host of said demon may be rid of them through a different procedure than how they were put in. Any scientist here that has family, go home and forget everything you've seen or done here-shove it to the deepest depths of your consciousness. Otherwise..." Her unsaid threat was clear. "Any that don't have family, do the same as they do-forget everything. If you do not, I will be back." Her tone made it crystal clear that they wouldn't like it. She turned to the army and lifted her arms. "You are free. You are free to go home."

A whoop was heard...and then the entire ex-obedient army cheered in happiness.

Yorokobi's skin flattened and turned back to its white color. Her horns shrank until they were gone, and her eyes became a lighter red.

She was now Aza again.

"Can you really take demons out?" a child asked. Aza nodded.

"I can."

"Please, do it," the little child begged.

Aza looked at Poison, whose skin had faded from its mint-green shade, and Poison nodded.

"It's not combined with her soul, not yet," Poison said.

Aza nodded, and with a deep breath, plunged her hand directly in the girl's stomach. Blood coated her hand, but she grabbed the lacrima that bound the demon inside of the girl and extricated it from the girl's body.

It was like this for several days, the three sisters taking out the lacrimi and getting a nap in here or there after healing them from their injuries.

Thankfully, the demon lacrimi fit inside several boxes that Aza put a sealing spell on after she was done.

The hosts were all leaving, going to their homes or orphanages when Aza, Poison, Ikari, and Lily (Deliora) finally left Enca-hopefully for good this time. With the demon lacrimi.

~:~

"THEY LEFT WITHOUT US?! IS LUCY OUT OF HER F****** MIND?!" Akira screamed, causing multiple people to stare at her.

"I don't know!" Al snarled. "All I know is that they're on some sacred island!"

"DON'T SNAP AT ME, ALDRICK FIERCE!" Akira yelled at him. "YOU, OF ALL PEOPLE, SHOULD KNOW HOW F****** DANGEROUS IT IS FOR AN AWAKENING CONDUIT!"

"DON'T SHOUT AT ME, I WASN'T THE ONE WHO TOLD HER TO GO!" Al exploded.

"OH YEAH? DID YOU EVEN TRY TO, OH, I DON'T KNOW, TALK HER OUT OF IT?!" Akira screamed back.

"I DIDN'T HAVE TIME! I HAVEN'T SEEN HER SINCE THE F****** DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY!" Al shouted back.

Lyra got into the shouting match.

"YOU KNEW THE MASTER PLANNED ON CHOOSING EIGHT AND ASKED SELENE TO GO ALONG, SO WHY THE F*** ARE OUR CONDUIT SISTERS OUT THERE, F****** RISKING THEIR LIVES TO F****** WATCH OVER AN AWAKENING CONDUIT WHO WAS _SUPPOSED TO **STAY HERE**?!_ YOU AND I BOTH KNOW THAT LUCY COULD DIE IF US ALMOST-FULLY REALIZED CONDUITS AREN'T THERE TO HELP HER! YOU _KNOW_ THE RISKS!"

Al hung his head.

"I didn't know," he whispered.

Akira grabbed his collar.

"Then your coming with us demons," she seethed. "I'm not waiting for Lucy to die because of your idioticness."

"What does she mean, does he know what would happen to Lucy?" Macao asked in a whisper.

"Yes," Akira flatly stated. "If Lucy isn't around five Conduits for six to seven hours, she'll get violently ill and possibly die."

"But...that would mean-" Macao began, only to be cut off at Akira's murderous glare. 

"I know, and SO DOES AL," she snarled. Al hung his head.

"I'm sorry, I didn't know she'd left!" He said, looking upset.

Akira's face hardened.

"Al," Lyra said, her voice hard, "We have maybe 90, maybe 95 sisters out there. We need Lucy to actually survive the damn transition!"

"Oh, so it's about an army then? That's why you need her?" Al challenged his twin.

Lyric stepped in between them.

"Enough, guys-"

Lyric was shoved away.

"Do you know how many of our sisters have been killed?" Lyra demanded. "Do you even care?!"

"Of course I care, I-"

"Then you have to understand that Lucy is someone we cannot loose," Lyra said, and Al looked hurt.

"I thought I was someone you couldn't loose."

Lyra looked sad.

"I didn't loose you, Al. You lost me."

Al looked like he'd been torn to shreds.

Akira stared at her sister in shock.

"Lyra, that was uncalled for. Apologize."

"No."

"LYRASUZA FEY FIERCE! APOLOGIZE TO YOUR BROTHER THIS INSTANT!" Akira boomed, her eyes going white.

Lyra bowed her head.

"I apologize, brother. Let us go to see our sister." Lyra stormed away.

Al sighed. "Damn it. I'm so sorry, 'Kira."

Akira's eyes faded back to green.

"It doesn't matter. What's done is done." The doors, which Lyra had just slipped out of, opened again and Ur stood there.

"Hi, is Gray here?" she asked cautiously.

"Nope," Akira said. "I can take you to him, if you want," she offered.

Ur smiled gratefully.

"Thank you, that would be great."

Akira took Ur's hand and teleported herself, Al, and Ur to Tenroujima, where a grim future awaited the heroes.


	19. Tenrou Island, Ur and Ultear, and Tragedy

Acnologia flew, her wings beating. She paused at the entrance to her father's cave.

Mokujirokunoryū, the dragon of the apocalypse and second only to Zeref, smiled, his teeth sharp.

"Acnologia." he growled. "I have heard from our beloved master that several flies have gathered."

Acnologia wanted to kill her father, personally. He wasn't that great of a father and he was too old to fly. Acnologia didn't particularly want Zeref on her bad side, though.

"I want you to exterminate Master Zeref."

Acnologia's head jerked up.

Exterminate...Zeref?

"Father," she growled, her wings rustling agitadedly, "He will slaughter me!"

Mokujirokunoryū's eyes flashed.

Acnologia glared at her father.

It had to end.

She bowed, sumbmissing to her father's rules.

She only hoped that the one human she'd left alive was, well, not dead.

She thought that the human she'd left alive wasn't scum; he'd been worthy to leave alive.

With that grim thought in mind, she contacted her master.

'Master Zeref...Mokujirokunoryū wants me to kill you. Shall I destroy him?'

A 'yes' echoed through the bond, and Acnologia straightened her spine and roared at her father. Mokujirokunoryū, not expecting that attack, was hit head on and was dead in an instant.

Acnologia was now queen of the dragons.

Mokujirokunoryū was no more.

~:~

Akira appeared in front of Makarov an instant after Lyra did.

Al stormed a few feet away, glaring at his twin.

"Master," Akira said, "In Fairy Tail there's a couple of sealed boxes. If Zeref calls us, the demons shall be released from their lacrimi forms. But they'll still be sealed. And in case we don't get back...I've put an emergency charm that'll activate once nine days pass."

"I understand," Makarov said, nodding.

"So what's happening?"

"Grimoire Heart," he replied grimly. Akira felt a chill race down her spine. "Are you all right? I heard about Enca. It must have been hard," Makarov said gently.

Akira snorted. "Aza only obliterated the people who were there by free will and were sadistic. Those threatened I did not allow her to obliterate."

Makarov nodded. Then he spotted Ur.

"Ur. To what do I owe the pleasure of meeting?"

Ur looked troubled. "I was working in the prison system and asked time off to see Gray and Lyon."

"Ah," Makarov said. "I thank you, Ur, for teaching them such things."

Ur gave him a grin. "They're like my kids. That's why I used Iced Shell."

Makarov's grin faded. "How did you get out of that?"

Akira coughed, looking sheepish.

"Well...long story short...Poison and Aza revived her. Poison's done it before, though, with Ikari..." Akira shrugged, oblivious to Ur's and Makarov's shocked and slightly thoughtful (Makarov's) looks.. "It's not particularly important. Anyway, did you say 'Grimoire Heart'?"

"Yes, why?"

Lyric suddenly appeared.

"Zeref's here."

Instantly, Akira, Lyra, and Ur were moving.

~"~

Lyric stood there in front of the Master of Fairy Tail, who asked her, "Where's Renna?"

Lyric shrugged...then slipped something out of her shirt.

A pouch.

"In there. I think," she added, finally darting away to chase her Conduit sisters.

Makarov opened the pouch...and promptly got smooshed by an angry Conduit.

"LYRIC!!!!"

~:~

The sisters (and Ur) skidded to a stop.

Ur was staring at, not at Zeref, but at the woman above Zeref and smirking at Natsu.

"I thought he was lying," Ur softly said.

Akira gave her a glance.

Then she looked at the woman.

"Oh, her," Akira muttered. "I don't like her. Neither does Cora...speaking of who, I haven't seen her for-"

"She's been hiding out in the forest with Porlyusica, now shut up," Lyra hissed.

Natsu, the idiot, ran forward.

Akira bolted out of her hiding place and shoved him out of the way.

When the dust cleared, Aza was now in charge and looking at her Master with concern.

"Master?" she asked, touching Zeref's face reverantly.

"Akira?" Aza turned to see LAXUS, of all people, standing there.

"I'm not Akira," Aza snarled. "She may be my host, but that is it."

Zeref muttered something and Aza stood there, frozen in shock and horror.

"Oh, did the little girl hear something she didn't like?" the purple haired girl said.

Ur revealed herself.

"Are you really my daughter?"

The woman looked to Ur with narrowed eyes...and then fell from her tree when Aza kicked her.

"Never insult my master," Aza hissed angrily. "And I would go tell your own master to leave this place."

"Why?" the girl asked insolently. "So you can control the Grand Magic World?"

Aza growled, a low, chilling sound that froze the hearts of the humans around her.

"Do not test me, _child._ To me you are nothing but a spineless worm, a piece of trash-"

"Enough, Yorokobi."

Aza went quiet, and then she spun and knelt to the not-sleeping-anymore Zeref. His eyes were still black, yes, but they had tinges of red in them.

"Master," she said, her body trembling.

Zeref turned to the woman with long hair.

"Leave." The anger in his voice was palpable. The long haired woman growled and ran off, Ur chasing after her, leaving the three Conduit-demons to Zeref's wrath.

"Master," Poison began, "I-"

"Kirai. Yorokobi. Ikari. You have been tainted by the humans." His statement was cold.

Ikari growled in frustration. "Master, I-"

"I do not want an explanation," Zeref snapped. "I want a good reason not to destroy you! Yorokobi, you may speak."

Aza looked her master straight in the eyes.

"We have no good reason. Destroy us, for our full loyalty belongs to the hosts we embody." Aza stood. "My name is not Yorokobi any longer. It is Azakarika, the demon of angelic justice, or simply lust. I have cast of the wickedness of the past and have decided to live in the now. Master Zeref, we remain your servants. However, if-and when-the final battle comes, know that I will stand against you as a member of Fairy Tail." She was on a roll now, and she didn't care if her master got angry enough to smite her ass. She was practically begging for it.

Zeref's eyes shut, and then opened again.

They were pure red.

 _Oh, shit,_ Aza thought. _He is so going to blast me and I have barely even done a real job for Fairy Tail! Shit!_

"You are my eternal servant, _Azakarika,_ whether you like it or not. I command you," Zeref said, his voice deceptively soft.

"You're right," she agreed. "You command _me._ " She then looked very tired all of a sudden.

Aza collapsed, Akira unconscious, the strain on her body too much.

Zeref glared down at Aza until Akira surfaced, shock on his face.

"She has a host," he mused.

Kirai/Poison gazed down at Aza.

"She's been tainted, Master, please don't-"

Zeref laughed.

Kirai and Ikari glanced at each other, shock on their faces, and sadness.

If Akira were awake right now, she'd be staring at Zeref in shock. Even Aza would be shocked. They should have seen Aza's master laugh.

"I would not kill one of my most deadly demons, Kirai. Nor will I destroy you two for omitting the fact that you two also have hosts."

Both of them gulped.

Then they paled for another reason entirely.

"Master, I must leave for a few hours, but I do assure you I shall return," Poison said, her Kirai-seriousness disappearing.

Zeref nodded his assent. "I, too, have a few people to deal with." Anger was clear in his voice, and Ikari seemed to revel in it, smiling widely.

Ikari, still smiling picked up the unconscious Akira.

~"~

Poison darted through the forest...and heard a chilling roar.

Acnologia was here.

~:~

Ur caught up to the long haired girl when the girl tripped.

"Wait! What's your name?" Ur asked as the girl fast-walked away.

She stopped and gave Ur an angry look. "My name is Ultear... _Mother_." She spat the last word out with venom. She started walking again.

Ur sighed. So Brain _had_ been telling the truth.

"I thought you died." Ultear stopped walking. "I remember giving birth to you, but they said you...you had died." Ur looked down. "I walked away, unable to bear the thought. Ultear...please." Ur looked at the young woman. "I don't know you. I'd like to."

Ultear thought for a minute.

"Fine," she said reluctantly.

Someone came crashing out of the underbrush and knocked Ultear from her feet.

"Meredy!" Ultear cried in shock.

"SAVE ME FROM THE CRAZY WATER WOMAN!!!!" Meredy cried, comical tears streaming from her eyes.

Juvia came out of nowhere, looking crazed.

"You...threatened...Gray-sama!!!!"

"Great..." Ur sighed. "Ice Make: Shield!"

A traditional Ice-Make shield appeared, blocking Juvia from Meredy.

"Meredy, is it?" The pink haired woman nodded. "I'd suggest you stop using the link magic...Juvia is...well, a possessive, creepy stalker of Gray."

Meredy nodded.

Instantly, the pink glow faded.

Ur sighed in relief. Juvia left...still acting like that creepy, possessive stalker.

~"~

They (meaning Meredy, Ultear, and Ur) were all in a boat when they heard the roar and saw the Fiore Navy ships leaving the cove.

Something very bad was about to happen.

~:~

Zeref stood in front of Master Hades of Grimoire Heart, Ikari's malevolent aura becoming bigger with each passing second and scaring the crap out of the three.

"Acnologia approaches," Zeref said. The unharmed Master Hades looked really angry, though it was probably just a farce. Zeref looked to Ikari. "Destroy the heart."

Ikari nodded, then vanished.

She reappeared, kneeling.

"It is done, Master." That's when they heard the creaking noises.

"I was never so far asleep that these so-called keys would have worked," Zeref said, paying no attention to the tiger-turned-demon. "Thanks to one of my own underlings, I was fully awakened. I know the preciousness of human life. That is why I am awake. And you made me forget it, Hades. I do not appreciate that," he said, even more serious. Hades gulped, unable to move. "And for that...you will die."

Zeref moved his arms in a wide circle. Black energy appeared. Ikari protected her tiger-turned-demon sister by quickly scrawling black marks-mud-on her cheeks in an entirely different language known only to demonkind and their hosts (former hosts who rejected the demons forgot the language quickly).

As Zeref clasped his hands, he said in a sorrowful voice, "The end of an era approaches."

He killed Master Hades with his blast.

~:~

Lucy glared at Gajeel.

"Right, as if I could be a Dragon Slayer," she scoffed. "I'm already a Conduit; I can't be both!"

Gajeel 'gihi'-ed. "Your Conduit sisters are," he said, meaning Lyric, Lyra, Selene, Akira, and Mizu.

"That's different-they learned from actual dragons," she said, scowling and folding her arms under her breasts.

"So did I, Bunny Girl," he said, and Lucy fought back the shiver that threatened to appear. A glint appeared in Gajeel's eyes, and Lucy forced herself to clear her throat.

"Yeah, but you're asking ME to learn from YOU," she pointed out.

Hurt flashed across Gajeel's face so quickly Lucy could swear it hadn't been there before.

"Yeah, I am," he replied, folding his arms. "So, you in or what?" He asked gruffly.

Lucy almost said NO!, but hesitated. If Gajeel really wanted to teach her some magic that she probably wasn't going to be able to use...it's not as if her life was wasted. She did have a long time to go before she died/killed (she fervently HOPED, anyway).

"Fine," she said, pouting. "I'll do it."

Gajeel grinned. "Then meet me in the belly of the ship when we're leaving, Bunny Girl."

He reached up to pat her head, but she flinched a bit.

Gajeel's hand dropped. Another flash of hurt, this time an expression she _knew_ she'd seen, crossed his face.

"I'm sorry, Gajeel, but it's only been a few months since..." Lucy trailed off, unwilling to go any further. _Since he'd beaten her to a bloody pulp during the Phantom Lord incident._ "It's going to take me a while to actually fully trust you." She hid her face, ashamed.

Gajeel just sighed. "I know." He stomped off (he was always stomping, except in battle, Lucy had noticed) to see Pantherlily, one of the Edolas refugees, who he'd chosen as his own Exceed friend (more like Pantherlily had chosen him).

Lucy's attention was taken by Levy, who was chattering about how cool Gajeel was.

"Do you like him, Lu-chan?" Levy suddenly asked, hiding a smile when Lucy went a comical red shade.

"NO! WHAT GAVE YOU THAT IDEA?! Besides, I thought you like him..." Lucy trailed off.

To her surprise, Levy laughed.

"No. I'm interested in someone else. Besides, I'm 'Shrimp' to him."

Lucy giggled a little. "I'm Bunny Girl. Tell me that isn't worse."

"You do look good in a bunny costume," Selene said, appearing next to her, and scaring her so much half the camp looked over at Lucy in bewilderment.

"SELENE, DON'T SCARE ME LIKE THAT!"

"Hey, Cousin~!" Mizu giggled. Renna sighed.

"How much sugar have you had?"

"Uh...a shotglass full?"

"MIZU, AKIRA WILL KILL US!"

"She'll kill us all anyway," Lucy said thoughtfully.

Mizu, Renna, and Selene all paled.

_"Shit."_

Mizu left, presumably to grab another shotglass full of sugar (or hey, she probably went to stalk her crush)

Somewhere in the camp, Lucy could hear Elfman and Evergreen going at it, Bickslow and Freed weeping over the return of Laxus, and even Cana and Gildarts being all mushy-mushy (actually, Cana was complaining at all the mushy crap while the S-Class wizard just preened over his newfound daughter). She heard birds chirp and the Exceeds talking, Gray being yelled at to put on his clothes, Natsu insulting him, and Juvia and Mizu yelling at each other about how they were 'love-rivals' for Gray's affections. She could hear next to her Levy turning pages while reading with her Gale-Force glasses and Renna and Selene talking in low tones (she didn't pay attention to their conversation, it would have been rude).

For a split second, everyone could pretend that it was a normal afternoon with family and nakama around them.

Overhead, a dragon roared.

~:~

Poison crashed into a clearing, panting.

"Poison!" Makarov said, decidedly wary of the demon he knew little about.

"Master...Makarov...Acnologia...she approaches...must leave...Master calls..." she panted, and Makarov got the gist of the message.

"Very well. Honor us well, Poison."

"My...real name...is Kirai," she said, gulping more air. "Aza wishes you...to know that hers...is actually...Yorokobi. We trust you," she added, letting them know it was one of the deepest secrets a demon-in-a-host could tell.

"I understand," Makarov said.

"I will be back, Master Makarov. Farewell for now," Poison...no, Kirai said in a grave tone.

"Farewell...Kirai."

Kirai gave Makarov a smile, a...HAPPY smile.

She then threw her hand up in the Fairy Tail symbol. The symbol of the Fairy.

The symbol...of _family._

~:~

They were powerless to stop Acnologia from destroying Tenroujima.

They went off, following their master as he journeyed across the land.

The month was December, the year X784. Many guilds tried to search for the rest of the Fairy Tail guild, but alas, no trace was found.

As for Acnologia, she too travelled with her master in a human form. Her father, Mokujirokunoryū was dead. She gifted Yorokobi, Kirai, Ikari, and Deliora with several powers.

And they never forgot about Fairy Tail-in fact it was the opposite.

They belonged to Fairy Tail. It was in their blood.

Akira, Lyra, and Lyric-while suppressed/asleep in their bodies while their inner demons held control-never aged.

They occasionally woke up to give advice, but they would fall into a deep sleep after a certain amount of time.

Nobody knows what truly happened in Enca except for the people there. Perhaps Yorokobi would eventually say, but for now, she and her sisters (and Deliora) were quite content to say nothing.

Several guilds popped up, all saying how bad Fairy Tail was. On one occasion, Yorokobi left to take care of 'business' when in fact she beat several members of a guild called Raven Tail up.

Yorokobi was known well throughout the world as 'The demon of angelic justice'.

And she'd need that title, most definitely.

Seeing as most of the world had forgotten about the Conduit 'threat', a new Gran Doma was put into place along with an entirely new council.

Mystogan, Jellal, 'Siegrain', 'Sora' (who was actually Cora thought projecting an image), Cora herself (again, they'd forgotten about her being a Conduit...or just decided not to ever mention it), and Jura were some of the members on the council.

And when the time came for the Fairy Tail guild to rise up and become, once again, the greatest guild ever, you can bet your life that Azakarika would reappear.

For now, though, the demons were content in waiting for their nakama.


	20. Letters, Sadness, Pictures, and Hope

There were five letters written altogether, to and from Fairy Tail in the first two years.

**Jan. X785**

_Dear Fairy Tail,_

_Hello. It's not Akira writing this; in order to survive I have had to follow my Master. I do not know of the fate of my cousin; I can only pray she's alright._

_Things with Master Zeref aren't all 'Death to Everyone' (as Akira put it. She said Cora would appreciate her humor... -.-' ). He mainly just travels around unpopulated areas and we have to go feed our hosts every now and then with a proper meal. It sucks (metaphorically). Master Zeref says he wishes he could have you as nakama, as you seem very nice._

_Would you let a Dark Wizard who has a cult following him practically **everywhere** and trying to revive him into the guild? I know you probably wouldn't want Acnologia in human form; very tempermental in either draconic or human form, that one._

_I don't think Fairy Tail is dead. Acnologia doesn't think humans are scum...I know Acnologia was pretty angry with Mokujirokunoryū, her dad (yes, Acnologia is FEMALE) and possibly killed him (not that I care too much, Mokujirokunoryū was not a nice dragon) and was having a VERY bad day. Kind of like Laxus and his Thunder Palace thing that happened, when I got shocked with his lightning...I think I'll call him Pikachu. His hair IS spiky. >:)_

_Akira says hello and that she misses you, and, (I'm actually quoting her here) that you all should 'stop moping and do something about your reputation because it's going down the drain and Aza's been beating people up and leaving them there-in hospital-worthy condition-because you haven't been working and stuff'._

_Oh, I almost forgot. On the side is a card for several hundred thousand jewels I've earned (in 'Akira-worthy ways', Lyra says[through Poison]) and a warning to USE IT WISELY._

_Lyra and Lyric say hello as well and to not worry about them. Poison, Ikari, and I have been helping people around the globe...even in Enca, though we've managed to say away from our...well...I won't say anything else. Poison and Ikari say a hesitant hello._

_I hope to see you all soon._

_Love from,_

_Azakarika, Akira, Poison, Lyra, Ikari, and of course Lyric._

_PS The code or whatever for the card is either 'Akiraisawesome' or 'Ihatemorons'. And if you want to write back, just write one of us demons' names on the envelope and use a carrier pigeon._

The people of Fairy Tail rejoiced when this news reached them of Aza's survival. They wrote them back, expressing thanks for the money. They  decided to pass letters back with different writers. The first one was written to Aza from Macao.

_Dear Azakarika,_

_Thank you for the money-and for letting us know that you were alive. We were concerned that nobody made it, but we are happy to see that is not the case._

_A man by the name of Lahar came by, demanding to see Akira and her sisters. But...well. We didn't know what to tell him._

_As for accepting the Dark Wizard Zeref, we would possibly need proof that he's abandoned his evil ways...and as for Acnologia...as long as we don't know it's her, or she too has changed her ways, then I don't think we'd mind too much._

_The guild howled with laughter at the 'Pikachu' reference. I'm not too sure you should call him that to his face._

_Again, then you for the money. We owe you a lot._

_From,_

_FAIRY TAIL_

_Macao, Fourth Master_

The Fairy Tail seal was pressed to close the envelope.

**Feb. X785**

_Dear Fairy Tail,_

_I, Ikari, write you in the utmost seriousness. Aza has contracted the flu. As has Master Zeref. What should I do? Poison's gone off with Acnologia, and I am indeed worried about Aza's suffering health. What if Master Zeref dies? Will we return to tigers?_

_Your welcome for the money-Aza said it was polite to say 'your welcome', but Lyric said I shouldn't have said anything._

_Oh yes! Here is some money for Lucy's and the triplets' homes. I would also like to say that if you need more money, Aza or Poison will send you some._

_I don't know why money is so relevant for humans...humans are definitely the queerest creatures. Lyric says it is rude to say it to a human, but if I write it down and send it that wouldn't be talking, right?_

_Lyric's mentally face-palming now. What did I do wrong?_

_I should leave now. If Aza or Master dies, that means Poison's going to kill me._

_Good day, and everyone you knew says 'Hello, Fairy Tail'._

_Do fairies even have tails?_

_Anyway...good day._

_~IKARI, Poison, Aza, Lyra, Lyric, Akira, Acnologia, and Zeref_

The Fairy Tail guild read that one aloud and muttered about how 'priceless' it was that Ikari had a kind of naïvety towards the human species.

Sure, Ikari knew where every vital organ and vein in the body (they were thinking 'most likely', since Aza probably knew that same information) was that could be ripped out and could possibly rip out a rib and beat someone over the head with it while laughing sadistically, but she had no idea what was polite or impolite or even blunt.

So they wrote her back, Nab doing the honors (the new master, Macao, had done the first letter).

_Dear Ikari,_

_I would advise flu medication. Zeref probably CAN'T die, so I would honestly worry more about Aza._

_As for the money thing, thank you for the money for Lucy and the triplets' living spaces...you do realize that Lyric and Renna simply stayed at the guild most nights, Al and Lucy shared, and the triplets plus Extalia and Lyra stayed at the Fairy Hills dormitory?_

_And it did SOUND rude, but I know you probably were not meaning it that way. It's probably rude to say 'you're welcome' EVERY time, so you don't have to say it. I think that's what Lyric was trying to say._

_And we don't know about the 'if fairies have tails'. That's actually one of the mysteries our guild was founded upon._

_Sincerely,_

_FAIRY TAIL_

_(Nab)_

**Apr. X786**

_Dear Fairy Tail,_

_I apologize for the long wait. Things are mad here in Caelum. Aza and Ikari were heavily injured protecting Master Zeref. Their wings are currently being patched up as I write._

_I'm not too injured, hence my writing you in over a year. We were able to send money to the landlady of Lucy's and Master Macao, I think I've heard. I don't know if it got there or not, but I sent it just yesterday._

_In the last year, we've had to run from countless mercenaries who want to kill Master Zeref. Of course, when Acnologia is sighted everyone flees. This time it was a regiment of the Caelum Army wanting to kill Master Zeref. Acnologia was hunting, so we had no option but to fight._

_Ever since Tenroujima, Aza's scythe hasn't worked. She's not able to make it change from a tiny charm. She used her Lust powers, but that was inneffective, seeing as Ikari was riling them up and when Ikari changed she had no choice but to fight hand-to-hand. Ikari is the worst off of us, blaming herself._

_Never fear, if we die our hosts regain control of their bodies and kick some army ass, but I'm hoping it will never come to that, seeing as I very much like living._

_I will try to get more money. I do not know if we can write any longer. DO NOT write back. It is too dangerous._

_Love from,_

_Poison_

Fairy Tail was in a tough spot; they didn't have much supplies, let alone any supplies to write with.

Romeo began taking lessons from the fire user of the former Element Four and was actually teaching with Kageyama from the Lullaby incident.

Of course, Macao didn't notice; he was busy.

The remaining members focused on paying their debts. Mystogan couldn't be mistaken as Jellal; Jellal had left Fairy Tail when it became clear that there wasn't any sign of Tenroujima.

They never rented out that one room in the Fairy Hills dormitory; they knew it was for a certain four Conduit sisters.

Lucy's landlady got paid rent every OTHER month for two months, all from different addresses.

Sooner than they thought, nearly seven years had passed. It was nearing May X791 when a letter arrived from Zeref and his demons.

_Dearest Fairy Tail,_

_SORRY FOR THE RADIO SILENCE! We've been attacked periodically; you probably heard that I was hurt and my wings were getting patched up._

_After Ikari wrapped me like a mummy and Poison wrapped **her** like a mummy for wrapping me like a mummy, we had to run. Master Zeref was constantly on the move before in unpopulated areas and not attacked; we soon figured out that it was our demonic energy and went to Edolas for a few months. More like a few years, so again, sorry for no contact. Prince Siegrain was more than accomodating when we explained the reason for Jellal not getting to visit...oh, wait. You have no idea what happened in Edolas, right? Well, Mystogan better tell you._

_Raven-a friend of Akira's-and a Conduit-should be popping by to say hello to Mystogan. Edolas Erza's going too. Her name's Erza Knightwalker and she has a scar across her nose...I have no idea how she got it, really. Akira was too busy being asleep._

_Anyway...Master Zeref wants to say something, then Acnologia._

**_Hello, Fairy Tail. I should apologize for having Acnologia destroy Tenroujima. I am sorry. I was a friend of Mavis' when Mavis was alive...so again, I am sorry._ **

**Hello, Fairy Tail. I apologize for destroying your guild's holy island. I was angry at my father, Mokujirokunoryū, and I took it out on your guild. I do not thing I killed everyone, though. I purposely didn't use my _Shūmatsu-ron-tekina ryū no hōkō_. I used my _Ryū no joō no gōon_ , but I suppose both have destructive power...Again, I am deeply sorry.**

_Ikari here. I have learned to not be naïve about your species. I apologize in advance if anything I say is untoward._

_Passing that, we were in Edolas. We helped the Fairy Tail there and also dragged someone back we plan on taking to you as soon as we can-apparently, the Levy there is interested on why they aren't aging...and I have a theory on that._

_Mavis was a Conduit. Obviously, she has a ghost. Ghost Conduits can use magic. The last I saw of Fairy Tail, they were...well, the picture enclosed is what they did. You'd be proud of them._

_Poison writing-we decided to write to you in one letter so it'd be easy. Anyway, the theory Ikari has is that Mavis is holding them-not captive or anything, that'd be stupid-in a time-bubble. Remember, she was the daughter of Cassandra (according to the legend that Aza told us through Akira). She's also the MASTER OF FAIRY TAIL._

_HAVE FAITH! They're still alive! Just pray to the Kamis that they'll be there before we are. :)_

_Love from,_

_Zeref, Acnologia, Akira, Azakarika,Ikari, Lyra, Lyric, and Poison_

"Guys! A letter's been sent!" An excited Romeo shouted, having already opened the letter. No smile erupted, but his eyes glittered and danced with excitement.

Instantly, the few members of Fairy Tail read it.

Macao laughed a little at the apologies, then finished the letter to heavy silence.

Then a drawing fell, and everything was quiet as they looked down to the members of Fairy Tail holding hands against Acnologia.

Some more drawings fell out of Reedus' sketchpad, making the guild erupt in tears.

Lucy, the triplets, and the twins all sat near each other, laughing and chattering. There was even one of Demon Lucy and the demonic siblings, added at different times but drawn together in one picture.

The one where everyone was younger and Happy had just hatched. Each team that had been formed...even Mizu and Juvia fighting and sort of stalking a shirtless Gray.

There were many tears.

Reedus picked up the papers just as a sound outside was heard.

~"~

"Tenroujima still exists."

Macao sat back as the door to the pathetic-looking guild creaked open gently, and a raven haired girl entered...then, upon seeing Mystogan, screamed.

"MYSTOGAN! I WAS SO SO WORRIED! I'VE BEEN LOOKING ALMOST EVERY. FREAKING. DAY FOR A FREAKING WEEK STRAIGHT AND I COULDN'T FIND YOU!"

"Raven..." Mystogan said, sounding unenthused at the girl's interruption.

Raven huffed. "Aza explained everything to me. You, sir, have a lot explaining to do to  your brother."

Mystogan winced.

"It's only been seven years..." he whined.

Raven eyed him, a frigid look on her face.

"It was seven years last time you visited him, now let's go," Raven ordered. She looked at Macao. "I shall bring him back soon, sir," she said.

Macao nodded. Raven stepped forward and vanished, Mystogan looking faintly green as he was tugged to another world.

And then the doors slammed open, this time Twilight Ogre-Magnolia's new resident guild-came in, demanding money. Macao forced them to leave, but he knew they would be back soon.

~:~

Mavis Vermillion sighed as she saw the Fairy Tail ship coming to her.

It was time.

She waited for them to see her before lifting her hands and revealing the Fairy Sphere.

She went onto the island.

~:~

_In the end, we are all defenseless against what we fear. But us, Lucy, Selene, Mizu, Lyra, Lyric, Renna, Aza, Poison, Ikari, and I...we all were defenseless the minute we stepped into Fairy Tail. I was afraid. And my defenses are gone because of Fairy Tail._

_Our defenses were no longer needed in front of nakama...in front of family. I'm glad, though-I am utterly defenseless among the people I love. Now, I suppose, I have nothing to fear from them._

_In front of my ancestor's guild, Fairy Tail, I can't be anything but myself-and that is why I love them._

~:~

_TRANSLATIONS:_

_(Google Translate. Anything that doesn't have a language specification is Japanese.)_

_Shūmatsu-ron-tekina ryū no hōkō: Roar of the apocalyptic dragon_

_Ryū no joō no gōon: Roar of the dragon queen_

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> angelslaugh here. I hate to end this story here, but it'll be continued in...FAULTLESS!


	21. Changeling

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> (In case nobody knows, the second name is the actual character that's speaking. For example: Happy/Erza=Erza   
> Erza/Happy=Happy)

Changeling ~Extra Chapter~

****

The huge group that included Akira, Mizu, Selene, Lyra, the cats (Happy and Extalia, the rest had gone home, too tired to go to the guild), Erza, Natsu, Gray, and Lucy all entered the guild, all of them frightened at the prospect of their 'punishment'.

Natsu, not heeding Erza's warning and ignoring the passed-out Loke on the ground, grabbed another job and read it.

A bright, rainbow light danced over the eleven (Loke being included in that group), and Selene and Mizu shrieked soon after they realized they'd been switched. Lyra and Extalia had too, apparently.

Akira, however, simply grinned smugly.

"Looks like I'm the only one _not_ to have changed," she gloated.

"I hate you," Mizu/Selene said.

"If you're stuck like this, you'll have to use their magic," Macao said, as if just realizing that.

Mizu/Selene and Selene/Mizu shrugged. "Eh. It doesn't really make a difference with us." To demonstrate, Mizu/Selene used Mizu's main magic with ease. " _Karyūnohōkō!"_ Flames spiralled out of Mizu/Selene's mouth with practiced ease.

"Wow," Nastu/Loke said appreciatively. "Mind teaching me?" He asked suggestively. Gray/Lucy facepalmed, knowing that 'teaching' Loke would lead to him and Mizu/Selene hooking up with him.

Blind to Loke's charms, Mizu/Selene shrugged. "Don't force the magic out. Dragon Slaying isn't just for anyone-it's an art taught to few."

"Then why did Igneel teach Mizu how to use it?" questioned Akira, who snickered at the mock-glare on Selene/Mizu's face.

"Meanie," Selene/Mizu pouted, affronted.

"I don't know," Loke/Natsu replied. Selene/Mizu looked offended.

"How do we return back to our normal selves?" Lyra asked (she wasn't terribly worried about it. She preffered flying to that accursed body that Extalia now fit into. Maybe Poison hadn't attached herself to her soul yet? She was proved wrong when, moments later, she heard a dark laugh in her mind, proving that her theory was right...or she was just going completely nuts).

"Well...I have no idea," the Master replied, startling them all. "It's an ancient magic so I have no clue whatsoever." Makarov smiled cheerfully.

"Okay," Mizu/Selene said, shrugging indifferently.

"Yep," Selene/Mizu said, sitting down rather calmly.

"It doesn't really affect us much," Lyra/Extalia said, sitting down with Extalia/Lyra on her shoulder.

"We can still use the same magic," Selene/Mizu and Mizu/Selene said in unison.

"Yeah, our bodies are built differently. If I were transferred to, say, Lyra's body and Lyra to mine, I would have the added magic of her Figure Eye to deal with. I'd still be able to use my Keys; we're not exactly normal mages," Akira added, looking Master Makarov in the eyes. "I might be able to reverse the spell, but only on my sisters and cousin."

"Do it!" Mizu/Selene shouted. "My hair is too green!"

Akira shrugged before punching her sisters so hard they passed out. She did the same to an unaware Lyra/Extalia and Extalia/Lyra.

"There, that should fix them." Little did they know what had actually occured-Akira had called upon the magic of the Conduits to stop time.

She'd used her _Supiritto no chikara: Jikanteido_ and her _Supiritto-ryoku: Sōru tensō_ , which roughly translated to 'Spirit Force: Time Stop' and 'Spirit Force: Soul Transfer'. Soul transfers with minor mishaps like being switched could use little magic without the glowing that usually preceded major Coduit magic. Other things-like being shoved out of your own body with ill intent and being shoved inside of another's-made the glow appear. Time stops stopped everyone's time; everyone but the Conduits. Time honestly didn't matter when you were a Conduit. As long as Conduit magic was not used for malicious or selfish personal gain, no Conduit would be charged with 'mishandling' their magic and be stripped of it (which could only be done when one called upon the Judge, who was an old, old Conduit, the Mother, who rarely answered the call, and the Queen, who hadn't appeared yet). Any Conduit can call a Time stop. It was a severe drain, however, on their consciousness. Akira was barely keeping herself from swaying after _two_ Time Stops.

~:~

"Wow," Romeo said, staring at Team Demon and Team Natsu.

"You need to stop idolizing them, kid," Cana told him, but Romeo shook his head.

"Never," he breathed, stars in his eyes.

Cana only sighed and continued drinking. She'd witnessed the small blast of magic that didn't seem to fit Akira's natural magic, but if Akira didn't say anything it's not like Cana was going to fully point it out.

Gray/Lucy seemed especially confused, though, but also said nothing.

 _So it wasn't just me,_ Cana thought, frowning a little. _Akira...what are you hiding?_

She continued drinking, mulling it over, not paying attention to anything but her drink and her thoughts...which was probably why she didn't notice until she heard her own voice and she was still drinking that Elfman and her had also switched bodies.

~:~

Akira did her best, keeping herself from passing out until she'd finished with the last of the body-switched people.

She looked at Master Makarov and felt something trickling down her face.

"Akira, your nose is bleeding," he said gently.

"Is it?" Akira asked, surprise coloring her voice.

"Yes." Akira swiped her nose.

"Hmm. You're right," she agreed, right before passing out.


End file.
